Isshoni
by Seigi-san
Summary: My second set of Neo or Mwu x Murrue stories! More excuses to act like a complete fangirl....
1. The Way Things Were

Okay! After an absence of...two days (T T) I am back. With more stories...

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"Hey, Chief?" The junior technician turned to Murdoch, a puzzled look on his face. The chief frowned. "What is it?"

"Don't you think it's weird how much the Colonel's changed after that last battle? It's like...he's a completely different person. He's always laughing now, and he seems a lot more comfortable. And...and he doesn't get lost in the ship anymore.."

Murdoch chuckled. "He acts like a different person because he _is_ now. Or should I say...he _was_ a different person."

As the technician listened, Murdoch told him the (long) story of who the Colonel really was, and why he had changed so much now.

The younger man's eyes were wide. "Really? I'd heard about the Hawk of Endymion...but almost everyone says he died at Alaska. And then some people back at Onogoro said he died at Jachin Due...so he's not dead? Just had no memories?"

Murdoch nodded. "Those of us who were on this ship before all remember him, and are really glad to have him back. Especially one person..."

As they spoke, a slim brunette figure tip-toed past, and kicked off from the deck, floating up to the mobile suits. The technician looked back to Murdoch. "Hey...isn't that..the Captain?"

The gruff chief laughed again. "So everything really is back to normal now..."

Mwu was hard at work in Akatsuki's cockpit, typing commands (rather slowly) into the mobile suit's keyboard, when a shadow fell across the front of the board. Looking up, the blonde pilot smiled. "Well, hi there, Captain. To what do I owe the honour?"

Murrue smiled back, and held out a cup. "I brought coffee. I thought that you might need a break.." She settled on the edge of the cockpit door, and the pair of them chatted for a while, and she watched him while he worked.

Peeking up, Mwu laughed softly as he saw the incredibly content expression on his Captain's face. "What is it?"

Murrue shook her head, still smiling. "It's nothing."

_It's just...I never thought this could happen again. So when I get chance..I just want to be with you._

All the crew had noticed how happy the Captain was now. The crewmembers who had joined at Orb before the mission to Copernicus had no idea what the change in her was due to, but her old crew knew perfectly well, and were all pleased that this had happened. Some of them were slightly jealous of Mwu's return, those of them who had harboured secret crushes on their captain, but they knew that she deserved to be happy. And her happiness made her that much more beautiful, as if she was lit from within.

Mwu glanced up at Murrue again. She was sipping her coffee, dark eyes closed, and he couldn't help grinning. "Hey, aren't you meant to be on the bridge right now?"

"No," she replied quietly, taking another sip. "I'm off duty now." Her smile became teasing. "Why, am I distracting you?"

He chuckled. "A little. But it's not that. I'm nearly done here, so why don't you go get something to eat? I'll be along soon."

"Okay. See you later." She picked up her cup and leaned down into the cockpit, her scent surrounding him.

"Sure thing, princess." Murrue flushed scarlet at the unexpected pet name, and Mwu laughed again, and kissed her gently.

As the captain floated down, still red in the face, the technician understood.

"So the Colonel and the Captain are together?"

Murdoch nodded, smiling. "Making up for lost time..."

That night, after their meal, Mwu sat at the desk in Murrue's quarters, finishing up the maintenance report, with a sandwich and a cup of coffee by his side. Murrue lay on her bed, already in her night clothes, dozing while she waited for him to finish.

As Mwu put the pen down, he turned to her, then grinned. She was fast asleep.

Sitting down beside the bed, he watched her as she slept. Her beautiful face wore a tiny smile, and he reached out and stroked her soft cheek, his heart skipping as her smile grew.

_I'm so lucky. I have a second chance with her, a chance to do things properly...and I don't have to worry about leaving her ever again..._

Placing his arms underneath the sleeping woman, he gently lifted her up and tucked her under the bedsheets, kissing her goodnight.

As he turned to leave, she stirred slightly, and mumbled "Don't go...please..."

Early the next morning, Murrue stirred again. Feeling warm breath on her cheek, she smiled sleepily.

_So he didn't leave..._

Opening her marigold eyes, she watched her lover as he slept beside her. Propping herself up on an elbow, she sighed with happiness.

_I never once imagined anything like this could happen. I had dreams that he was with me, but that was all they were, I was still __alone when I awoke. Now that this is...I want to be with him for always..._

Kissing Mwu lightly on the cheek, Murrue snuggled back down beside him, resting her head on his chest, and fell asleep again.

Kira ran through _Archangel_'s corridor, complaining all the way. He had just come over from _Eternal_ for a visit, and what was the first thing that they made him do? Go wake up the captain. Apparently the bridge had called down to Murrue-san several times, but she hadn't answered. No-one wanted to be the one to go down there and disturb her, so Kira's visit was perfect timing.

_What am I meant to do if they're...they're..._

Knocking on Murrue-san's door, Kira gulped, not really wanting anyone to answer.

The door slid open, and a very sleepy looking Mwu stood there, clad only in uniform trousers. Kira rolled his eyes.

"What is it, kid?" Mwu asked, yawning and rubbing his eyes.

"Mwu-san...you're answering the door in the wrong room again. This is Murrue-san's room..." Mwu blinked, and opened his bleary blue eyes properly. "Oh, right. Oh well. What's up?"

The conversation at the door awoke Murrue, and she checked the clock. Blushing furiously, she threw back the covers, and dashed into the bathroom.

Kira laughed. "So everything's back to the way it was, huh?

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( Just random fluff. But it balances out today's angsty stories very well XD

About the crush on the captain thing...inspired by a fanart where Chandra is kissing a picture of Murrue-san lol

Please read and review! )


	2. Surprises

This is another AU fic, but a different kind this time. The general consensus is that by the time Mwu went and got himself blown up at the end of Seed, he and Murrue-san were lovers, right? Well, what would have happened if...

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It was the middle of the night. The newly reunited couple lay together in each other's arms, incredibly happy. They lay in the small bed in her quarters, wrapped up in each other. Murrue was fast asleep, a blissful smile on her face after what she had experienced a few hours before. Mwu was still awake. Although drowsy, he found that he had a lot to think about, so he had lain awake, focusing on the bland grey ceiling.

It had been a long time since he'd been in a relationship with anyone, in fact, the last time was with _her_. Mwu couldn't help wondering if he'd changed too much during those two years with the Earth Alliance to be able to be with anyone, especially her. But her face when he had come back to her after regaining his memories...

_She stayed loyal to my memory for all that time...she never found anyone else..._

Mwu wasn't sure whether it was due to fear of having her heart broken again, or whether she never wanted to be with anyone else, but he didn't mind that. The important thing was that, for whatever reason, Murrue still loved him.

_After what I've done to her, she should hate me. But instead..._

Instead she was lying right there beside him, smiling with happiness and love. Mwu knew he didn't deserve to have her love, but at the same time, was incredibly glad that he had it. Opening his eyes, Mwu looked around the little room. It appeared much the same as it had two years ago, a little sofa, her desk in one corner, all very neat and tidy. But one thing out of place caught his eye. One of the drawers in that desk was open slightly, as if it had been shut in a haste. Curious, Mwu very carefully unwound himself from the sleeping woman, climbing off the bed slowly so as not to wake her. He tip-toed across the darkened room, and opened the desk drawer.

Inside was a photograph. The man grinned as he saw Murrue in the picture, laughing as if the photographer had just told her a joke. She was wearing what he recognised as a Morgenroete uniform, and looked to be standing on a beach, with a small wooden house in the background. And in her arms...Mwu gasped, forgetting that Murrue was asleep.

In her arms was a baby.

This child, a little girl, was tiny, seeming to be no more than a year and a half old, if that. She shared features with Murrue, the same shape face and pale skin, enough so Mwu could see that the two were related. A sister?

_Her sister? Don't be dumb, didn't she tell you that her family were dead?_

This baby was clearly...Murrue's daughter. But if she was, who was the baby's father? Hey, wait...

Mwu pressed a hand to his mouth in shock as his still half-asleep mind registered that the little girl had wavy golden hair and cobalt blue eyes. The exact same shade as his own.

_She's...no way...but she..._

There was no other explanation. Judging by the infant's apparent age, and the way she looked...she was his daughter. There was no way Murrue would have found someone else so quickly after she thought he had died. Whether he liked it or not, Mwu was a father.

_Why didn't Murrue tell me?...But then again, last night wasn't really the time. I'm sure she must be waiting until we get used to each other again before telling me. And it must be tough for her, you can't really just come straight out and say something like that._

_I left her all alone...with a baby. How can she still love me?_

In the bed, Murrue stirred, and stretched out a hand, waking up as that hand hit only empty mattress. Opening marigold eyes, she looked around for her lover, smiling sleepily as she saw him standing by her desk.

"Mwu?" she murmured. "What are you doing? Come back to bed..." Then her heart skipped as she saw what Mwu was holding. His blue eyes were wide with shock as he stared down at the photograph she had tried to hide, and he seemed to be frozen to the spot.

"You found it..." Murrue lay back in the bed, and hugged the sheet around her, guilt-stricken.

_Why did I hide it? It's not as if I'm ashamed...no, I didn't want him to feel obligated. I wanted him to be with me because he loved me, not because he felt responsible for her..._

Mwu finally turned to her, noticing that she was awake. His eyes were still wide, and he could only stare, not able to get the words out. "This girl..." he finally managed. "She's..."

Murrue nodded sadly. "Yes, she's yours. I found out I was pregnant not long after we returned to Orb after the last battle. I was sad when I found out, but happy at the same time, as it meant that...that I had something besides my memories to remind me of you..."

Mwu climbed back into bed beside her, still clutching the photograph.

"It must have been tough on you. How did you cope?"

She smiled. "I had my friends to help. And Erica has a son, so she knew what it was like..to have a child. I relied on her so much...still do as a matter of fact. But it was so hard sometimes...every time I looked at my baby, I was reminded of you, and I missed you so much..." Tears began to form in her eyes as she spoke, and Mwu wrapped an arm around her, comforting her.

"I'm so sorry...I left you all alone like that, with a baby, I..." He looked so sad, and guilty, that Murrue's heart melted, and she nestled herself close to him.

"It's all right. Of course, it made me miss you more, but because of you, I was able to have her. And I don't regret it for a moment."

Mwu smiled a little. "What's her name?"

"Lily" she replied softly. "It was my mother's name. But her surname...her surname is La Fllaga. I wasn't sure if you'd be okay with that, but I wanted her to have something of her father's, so one day she could find out what kind of person you were..." She looked up at Mwu, eyes wide with worry. "You don't mind, do you?"

Murrue had been scared that Mwu would be angry with her for that, but instead, his boyish face was wreathed in smiles.

"Of course I don't. I'm happy that my daughter shares my name. I just hope that one day, her mother will be able to as well..."

Murrue blushed, and stared down at the bedsheets, shocked, but at the same time, happy beyond belief.

"I have no idea how to be a parent though. Can you teach me?" Mwu sounded so nervous and scared, that she couldn't help laughing. "Yes. I can teach you. I'm not all that good at it myself though yet, so maybe we can learn together?"

Mwu chuckled, and lay back in the bed, joining her. "Sure, Sounds like fun. What's Lily like?"

She giggled again. "She's just like you. Stubborn and fearless. When I had to be at work, she stayed at the beach house with Lacus-san and the orphans she helps take care of. Almost as soon as she could walk, Lily was chasing about the beach wanting to play with everyone, and she couldn't understand why she couldn't keep up with them. And she never has accepted that she's too little still. Lacus-san and Kira-kun had to keep such a close eye on her all the time."

"Where is she now?"

Murrue's smile faded. "Back in Orb, with Malchio-sama and Kira-kun's mother. I'm sure they've taken good care of her, and when we were in Orb last, Erica told me that everything was fine. But I can't help but be worried. And I really miss her..."

Mwu pulled her to him, kissing her on the forehead. "Don't worry. I'm sure she's okay. And we'll be home soon, right?

Can I meet Lily then?"

"Yes, of course. I want her to meet her father. If everything goes well, maybe we can all live together? Then you can start to learn properly what being a father is like."

Mwu still looked nervous. "I don't know...will it be okay? I don't know if I can do this..."

Stroking his cheek, Murrue kissed him gently on the lips. "You'll be just fine. You've been fighting so long, you've forgotten what peace feels like. Lily can help you remember..."

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A few weeks later, Mwu and Murrue walked across the shores of a small island just off the main country of Orb, towards a small wooden house. It had been rebuilt while _Archangel_ was away, and at the moment, was where Lily was living, being taken care of by Kira's mother Caridad. As they reached the house, Mwu could feel Murrue's hand squeezing his tighter and tighter, until she was practically crushing his fingers. Nearing the door, she broke away from him, and pushed it open. "Lily?"

A tiny figure shot through the door and attached itself to Murrue's leg. "Mama!"

The auburn-haired woman lifted the little girl up in her arms, and hugged her tightly, tears of happiness streaming down her cheeks.

"I missed you so much, sweetie!" Lily nuzzled into her mother's neck. "Missed you too, Mama!"

Mwu hung back on the porch, nervous as hell. Murrue held out a hand to him. "Come on, Mwu, it's all right..."

Lily removed her head from her mother's neck, and peeked curiously up at the man.

"Who's he, Mama? Is he your friend?"

Mwu smiled gently, and nodded. "Yeah, I'm Mama's friend."

"What's your name?"

He opened his mouth, about to answer, but Murrue beat him to it. With tears brimming in her dark eyes, she replied.

"Papa. This is Papa." Lily looked confused.

"Papa? But Mama said Papa went to live with the angels..." The little girl wiggled around, and climbed down from Murrue's arms.

Toddling over to Mwu, she stared up at him. "Did you come back?"

He knelt down, and gently placed his hand on his daughter's head. "That's right, I came back. Because I wanted to be with you and your Mama..."

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( Yay! AU fics FTW!

I remember reading this one fic where Murrue-san had a baby after Mwu died (or whatever) and I liked the idea. Only, my fic is cleaner than that one XO

And I wanted to keep Lily still, so there you go. Sure, I may have made her a wee bit more precocious than she should be (being only 15 months old or so) but a lot of toddlers are really smart, and her being Murrue-san's daughter, she'd be smarter than the average, I think :nods:

Please read and review! )


	3. Paperwork

The clock said that it was evening. Although _Archangel_ floated in the vastness of space, where darkness was a constant, time still marched on. Murrue sighed as she stared at the glowing numerals of the clock on her desk, realising she'd been sitting there for almost eight hours. In front of the clock was a stone-cold cup of coffee, and to the left of that...a huge pile of paperwork.

Murrue _hated_ paperwork. In the past, when she'd tried to avoid it, Natarle had kept reminding her about it until she finally did it. But now...there was no-one to do that. So she'd left it as long as she could...but now she had no choice.

The paperwork...piles of damage reports, crew shifts, maintenance records, they all sat there on her desk accusingly, waiting for her to get back to work and finish them. Just as Murrue was about to bite the bullet and knuckle down, there was a loud knock at the office door. The woman sighed. This had happened so often today, she had lost count of the number of times she'd been disturbed by crewmembers wanting her to sign this, approve that...she was sick of it.

"Come in!"

The door slid open, and Murdoch, the chief mechanic stuck his head into the office, grinning apologetically. He waved a clipboard at her. "Sorry, Captain, but could you sign this? It's the supply manifest from the Junk Guild..."

Murrue flipped through the papers, checking what they had been supplied with, and found nothing wrong. Scribbling her signature on the bottom page, she handed the board back to Murdoch. The mechanic gave a clumsy salute, and made his exit.

Once he had gone, Murrue slumped in her chair, rubbing her eyes.

_Thinking about it now...I have to play so many roles aboard this ship..._

She was the captain, in charge of a battleship, and in charge of keeping it and the crew aboard it safe. That was a hard enough task when you were trained for it, but when you were meant to be an engineer, the job became almost impossible. Luckily, Murrue had had help from her crew and other officers, otherwise she probably wouldn't have been able to cope.

She was also a figurehead, a symbolic representation of the ship. All questions and queries regarding _Archangel_ had to go through her first, and she was the one the crew all looked to when the ship was in danger, for guidance.

An engineer? Murrue had been that first. Although she was used to being captain now, she still missed the days where she practically lived in a ship's engine room, and she still chatted with Murdoch sometimes about how things were going...

_And now I'm like an older sister too..._

The younger crewmembers, including the Heliopolis students, although they had adapted to their situation remarkably well, still needed a helping hand and someone to talk to about things, and Murrue was there for them. Whoever needed her help, she'd be there to rely on.

Murrue couldn't help but sigh. Sure, it was nice to be depended upon so much, but what about her? Where did she go when she needed someone to talk to, to rely on?

_What happens when I don't want to play a role...when I want to be just myself?_

She was startled out of her self-pity by a soft knock on the door. Running her hands through her hair, Murrue groaned in frustration. How was she going to get any work done if people kept disturbing her? It just wasn't fair. But as captain, she had to be there for everyone who needed her. Regaining her composure, she fixed a smile to her face.

"Come in!"

The door opened, and a familiar handsome face peeked in at her, blue eyes twinkling. "Hi!"

Murrue's fixed, frozen smile became wide and genuine, happy for the first time that day. "Hi yourself."

"Can I come in? Are you busy?" Mwu glanced at the paperwork still littering the desk, an unsure expression crossing his face.

Murrue shook her head and beckoned him inside. "It's nothing that can't wait..."

Mwu grinned and sidled into the office, carrying a tray. "I thought that you might need a break. You've been shut up in here for so long..." The tray held two fresh, hot cups of coffee, as well as two slices of chocolate cake.

"Sugar boost?"

Murrue giggled, feeling much better. "Oh, that's so sweet of you!"

"I know" he said, matter-of-factly, making her laugh again.

The pair sat together for a while, chatting about anything and nothing, whilst they ate and drank. As they did, Murrue felt the tension she had been feeling since she began her work begin to leave her, and she smiled happily. He always knew, somehow, just when she needed him to be there, when she needed company the most.

_This is who I can depend on. This is the one I can truly be myself with. And he does the same for me..._

Both she and Mwu hid themselves behind roles, and only ever showed their real selves to each other. He understood all too well the parts she had to play, and helped her bear the burden of command. Murrue relied on him so much, and she knew that if he needed to, he would also rely on her.

_Another reason that I love him so much..._

Stretching out in her chair, Murrue smiled sleepily. "Thank you..."

"For what? The cake?" Mwu waved at the empty plate with a fork. "That was no trouble"

"Not that.." she said, laughing softly. "For all of this...for being here."

The blonde man smiled, got up, and sat down on the sofa in the office. "Here, come on.." he said, gesturing to her to come sit beside him. Murrue stood up, joints protesting as she had been sitting in one place for too long. Walking over to his side, she made as if to sit next to him, but instead, he grabbed her hand and pulled her onto his lap.

"Mwu! What are you..." Her cheeks flamed red, and he chuckled. "You work too hard. Just relax for a while, okay, love?"

Murrue looked down at him, a faint smile on her face. "This will help me relax?"

He nodded, and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close.

She closed her eyes, and smiled a little more. How did he always know just what she needed? All she had wanted all day was to stop being captain for a while, for someone to comfort and care for her, rather than her having to do that for the whole ship. Someone she could be selfish with, and only focus on them and herself...

_What would I do without him?_

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( Aww! Poor Murrue-san. She relies on Mwu so much, and doesn't truly realise how much until after he's gone. But I'm sure that when he comes back to her, she'll appreciate what he's done for her so much more.

Please read and review! )


	4. White Day

( Okay, so I'm two days late with this. So sue me XO. It's a sequel to 'Tenshi' (Angel) from my earlier stories )

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The house was filled with the sweet aroma of chocolate. The freshly made cake stood on a cooling tray, awaiting the frosting. Murrue carefully measured the ingredients, and added them to the bowl just as the recipe instructed. She was rather nervous, as she wasn't that good at baking cakes at the best of times, but today...today it had to be perfect.

_Today it has to be just right...because it's for him._

Today was White Day. Murrue wasn't sure Mwu understood what that was, but she had learned from Kira-kun, Lacus-san and the others, and she liked the idea of thanking someone for their Valentine presents. Of course, this cake (even if it did turn out well) and the shirt she had bought for him wouldn't come close to measuring up to the bracelet and flowers he had bought for her last month...

_But Mwu isn't the kind of person who would care about how much a gift cost..._

Very gingerly, Murrue tipped up the basin of frosting and poured it over the cake, delighted that she had been able to get the consistency just right. Now all she had to do was decorate it before he came home. She had kicked him out of the house earlier that morning, and she wasn't sure when he would decide to come back...

Mwu trudged through the city, not really going anywhere, just walking aimlessly. He would have gone home a long time ago, but Murrue had shooed him out so quickly this morning, he knew that she must have something planned that she didn't want him to know about. He was sure it was nothing bad, and although he was incredibly curious to know what she was doing, he was going to give it at least another hour before heading back.

He was about to go get something to eat, when he heard someone calling his name. Turning around, Mwu smiled when he saw Lacus Clyne and that girl Meyrin just behind him, carrying shopping bags.

"Hey there, ladies! What are you up to?"

Lacus smiled sweetly, and held up the bags she carried. "Shopping for White Day." she replied in her gentle voice. Mwu frowned.

"White Day? What's that?"

Meyrin giggled. "It's when you give someone a present as thanks for the one they gave you on Valentine's Day. And White Day is today."

Mwu looked thoughtful. "Then maybe I should buy something for Murrue...I wonder what she'd like..."

Lacus clapped her hands. "We're having a party tonight to celebrate! Why don't you and Murrue-san come along? That way you could maybe buy her something nice to wear!"

_That's not a bad idea...but what?_

The two girls noticed the unsure look on the man's face, and grinned. "It's okay, Fllaga-san!" chirped Meyrin. "We can help you find something for Ramius-san!"

All that afternoon, Mwu and the two girls wandered around the city, looking for the perfect present. A few times, the girls found some nice outfits, but Mwu always turned them down. It had to be perfect for her. Something she would love to wear, and he would love her to wear...but where to find it?

Finally, in a tiny shop in a back street, he saw it. A pale pink dress in silk and lace, with matching shoes.

"Oh, that's beautiful..." breathed Lacus "Murrue-san would love it. Do you know her size?"

Mwu chuckled. "I do by now. I hope they have one to fit her."

_It is beautiful...and she'll look angelic in that.._

When he reached home, he couldn't find Murrue. The kitchen smelled good, but he couldn't quite place the scent. Breathing in, he smiled, and climbed the stairs to find his girlfriend. Carefully hanging up the dress in their room, he went up the ladder into the attic, and saw her sitting there absorbed in a book, snuggled up on a bean bag chair.

"Hi, sweetheart. Have a good day?"

Murrue smiled happily, and came across to give him a hug. "Yep. And you?"

Taking her small hand in his, Mwu helped her down from the attic, and into their bedroom. "I sure did. I even ran into the pink princess and that Meyrin girl. They were shopping for a party, and they said they'd like us to come."

"Tonight? That sounds nice. Wonder what I can wear..."

In answer, Mwu pointed to the outfit he had bought her that afternoon. Murrue's eyes widened in amazement, and she fingered the soft material of the dress in wonder. "It...it's beautiful..." A small tear slid slowly down her cheek, and she lowered her head. Mwu was shocked. "Hey there, what's wrong?"

"You...you don't have to spoil me so much...I...I..."

Mwu took her into his arms, and hugged her tightly. "It's okay. It's for White Day..."

She shook her head, crying more. "But I only got you a shirt...and made cake...I...it's not enough..."

Leaning away from her slightly, Mwu sighed. "Didn't I tell you before? It doesn't matter. Whatever you get me, I'll be happy with." Wrapping his arms around her again, he buried his face in her hair, breathing in her scent. "Thank you so much.."

"It's only cake..." Murrue's voice was muffled from where she had pressed her face against his chest.

"And that's what makes it perfect. You told me you weren't that good at baking cakes, and you didn't do it very much. The fact that you baked it for _me_...it's worth all the presents in the world."

Murrue made an embarrassed noise, and hugged him closer. Mwu could just make out how red her cheeks were, and he laughed.

"Come on, let's go try out that cake, okay?"

Later that night, the couple got ready for Lacus' White Day party. Mwu was standing at the door, waiting for Murrue. He was wearing the shirt she had bought him. It was just the right size, and felt crisp and rather expensive.

_I thought it might be. And she says I spoil her too much..._

The cake (what was left of it) sat inside a tin in a cupboard. For someone who said she was no good at baking, Murrue had excelled herself. He had teased her and said she should do this more often, and she had blushed again. He found it so adorable when she blushed and stuttered, it was so unlike the captain he had known...

"Are you ready?" Her soft voice broke Mwu out of his daydream, and he glanced over at her. Then stared.

The dress clung to her body like a second skin, and the lace at the hems whispered as she walked. Her dark hair was fastened up, and held in place with a flower from the garden. In short...

_Whoa...that dress was the right choice..._

Murrue twirled, showing off the outfit, the colour in her cheeks matching the dress. "Well, what do you think?"

"You...you look beautiful." Mwu moved closer to her, brushing his fingertips against her face. "Almost makes me wish we didn't have to go to this party..and then I could have you all to myself..."

She giggled. "Now, now. You said we would go, so we're going." Walking past him, she kissed him gently on her way out of the door. "And there's always tonight..."

He laughed, taking her hand. "You're right. Happy White Day, princess."

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( zOMG the mindless fluff will one day kill me, I'm sure of it XO

Oh well, please read and review anyway...:laughs: )


	5. Realisations

( All righty, here we have another AU story. It's only kinda slightly AU though, since it's just two people realising how they feel about each other _before_ we see it in the anime. :nods: )

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Why did the hangar bay have to be so far away? And in situations like this, when she had to be there quickly, the distance from the bridge seemed even greater...Murrue had tried simply calling Commander La Fllaga, but he hadn't responded. Given Murdoch's apparent nervousness when he had called the bridge, she hadn't expected him to. What if the Commander tried taking off in a damaged fighter? Sure, she could understand why he wanted to go out and look for those two boys, but what if he suffered the same fate?

Didn't he even think? Didn't he care what happened to him, or the ship if he was shot down?

_Why does he have to be so stubborn?_

Rounding the corner into the hangar bay (more than slightly out of breath) Murrue could make out the Commander standing next to the Skygrasper, poking about in it's engines. She heard the annoyed and worried tone in his deep voice as he almost pleaded with the mechanics (who were all completely exhausted) to help him. She knew that the Commander didn't have all the skills needed to properly repair the fighter, probably only jury-rig it somehow, and that made her even more worried...

"Commander!" she called, running up to him and drawing his attention away from the Skygrasper. "I cannot allow you to take off! Please, give the mechanics a chance to get some rest..."

The Commander turned back to the fighter, beginning his work again. "We haven't heard from Orb yet, have we?" he asked.

Murrue sighed. "No, but still..."

He didn't turn around. "And the ship is out of danger now, so what's the problem?"

_This is getting me nowhere. Time to act like a captain..._ "No, I will **not** allow it!"

That got his attention. He spun around, arms spread in supplication. "But what if those guys were somehow able to make it out?"

Murrue had been thinking the exact same thing, and she was already guilt-stricken enough for them running away and leaving those two behind like that. That, coupled with the fear that something would also happen to the Commander if he went out there, made her words a little more angry than she had intended them to be. "Yes, I know. And if I could, I'd be the first one to fly out and try to save them! But right now, that's impossible!" Tears brimmed in her marigold eyes as she tried to get her point across.

The angry, frustrated expression on the Commander's face melted into surprise and sympathy. "Captain..."

"And under the circumstances, I can't allw you to fly out either!" She shook her head to emphasise her point, and also to try and get rid of the lump in her throat. _Why do I want to cry?_

"If you were to sortie and not return, I..." She took a deep breath and pushed on, not really knowing what she was saying, just wanting to prevent him from leaving the ship...leaving her...

"If something happened...this ship wouldn't be able to cope without you..._I _wouldn't be able to cope without you!"

_It's true, I wouldn't. The ship would have no-one to defend it, and neither would I. I don't want you to leave.._

_Because I love you..._

Looking up, Murrue blinked in surprise at the deathly silence coming from the men grouped around the Skygrasper. They were staring at her with incredulous expressions, mouths and eyes wide. The Commander was no exception. She had never seen him so surprised...and then she realised why.

_That last part...I said it out loud. I said that I loved him...and everyone heard it..._

She could feel her cheeks burning, and could see by her reflection in the polished surface of the fighter jet that her face was absolutely crimson. Stepping back, she murmured an apology, turned, and ran.

"Captain...!" she heard behind her, but she never stopped.

Murrue ran through the ship, not caring where she was going, just wanting to get away. She ran until she couldn't breathe anymore, and leaned against a wall to recover. Her side ached, and her legs felt like jelly (although that could be due to what she had blurted out back then...)

_Why did I say that? Why did I even **think** it? I'm such an idiot!_

Slumping further against the wall, she pressed her hands to her face, trying to figure out why she _had_ said that. She would have been sad if the Commander had been shot down. In fact, given the pain she felt in her chest when she thought of that happening, she would have been _very_ sad. He was her friend, true enough, a friend who always took her side, and helped her when she needed it. She relied on him. But was that all? Was friendship all she felt for him? She squeezed her eyes shut, and thought hard, trying to work out what was in her own heart.

Murrue thought deeply about her feelings. She hid a lot of them away, and some were so well hidden, they took a while to find. She realised that her feelings about the Commander were buried deepest of all, as if she had subconsiously wanted to deny they existed. But now..she knew. When she thought of him, her heart fluttered, and when he smiled at her, she felt happy and a little giddy.

She sighed. What she had said had been true. She **did** love the Commander...

_It happened so gradually I never noticed it. I had no time to back away, to put distance between him and my heart. And now..now it's too late. Why didn't I see it sooner?_

_What do I do now? I can't pretend I never said it, too many people heard me...**he** heard me!_

Mwu ran through the corridors, looking all over for the Captain. She had run away so quickly, it had taken him a while to find her. He didn't know why she'd run so fast or so far, but he had to find her...

_I never imagined she'd say something like that. And going on her expression, I don't think she even realised she'd said it until it was too late. But she did say it. I need to find her..I need to know the truth._

He slowed when he heard loud breathing coming from just up ahead. She was leaning against the corridor wall, shoulders heaving, breathless from running too fast. Approaching slowly, he called out to her. "Captain?"

She removed her face from her hands, and glanced up, her dark eyes filled with surprise and worry. Mwu smiled, to try and out her at ease. He'd never seen her like this before.

"Are you all right?" he asked softly, drawing a nod from the woman. She smiled nervously, and twisted her hands together. "I'm...sorry. I-I didn't mean to-to say that.." she muttered, looking at the floor.

Mwu chuckled slightly. "Yeah, I figured that." He moved closer to the captain, but not as close as to scare her. "But did you mean it? What you said back there?"

The captain's eyes widened, and she was silent. All she did was nod.

Mwu grinned like a kid. "You do love me?" Again, just a nod. He placed a hand very gently on her shoulder, feeling her trembling beneath his touch. "It's okay. I'm happy you feel that way...because I feel the same way about you..."

The captain looked up at him in shock, then glanced to the side, eyes squeezed shut. Mwu continued, his voice soft.

"It took me a while to work out how I felt...and even when I did figure it out, I wasn't sure when I'd be able to tell you, if at all..."

She looked back up at him, dark auburn hair framing her pale face. Tears brimmed in her eyes. Mwu smiled again, and pulled her into a light hug, light enough so she could pull away if she wanted to. Then he felt her shoulders shaking again, and felt the front of his uniform begin to be soaked through...she was crying.

"Hey, what's wrong? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..."

"I can't...this can't happen...not again...not another mobile armour pilot...I can't...I promised...!" The captain stared up at him, and Mwu saw such fear and guilt in those shifting dark eyes of hers, he was taken aback.

Murrue stared up into the Commander's cobalt blue eyes, and saw nothing but kindness, compassion, and love shining back at her. That look made her heart flutter again, and she buried her face in his uniform, crying harder. She knew that no matter what she said, she couldn't deny her own feelings, her heart told her that. She loved him, whether she liked it or not, and despite every warning she had tried to give herself about falling for another soldier.

She could only cry out her guilt, while he held her, saying nothing.

Finally, her tears stopped, and she pulled away from him. "Sorry"

The Commander sighed. "No, don't apologise. But...is my being a mobile arnour pilot so important? It's not like that's all I am. I didn't fall in love with you because you were the Captain or anything. I fell in love with you because you're such a warm and kind person, not to mention beautiful...so why does me being an MA pilot matter?"

Murrue twisted her hands together again, and frowned as she realised that he was right. She had fallen in love with the Commander for who he was, not for what. It didn't matter that he was another mobile armour pilot. And even if it did, who was to say that history would repeat itself?. It wasn't important. She loved him, he was kind and funny, brave and handsome...what did it matter that he was a pilot, really? Of course, she could one day lose him to the war..and that was why she was afraid.

She smiled a little. "I'm sorry...you're right. I guess...I was scared of falling in love again..."

The Commander reached out and gently brushed his fingers against her cheek, a whisper-soft touch. "It's okay to be scared. I mean, this war is such...something could happen to either one of us at any time. I can't promise I'll always be here, same as you can't. But you can't let that fear keep you from happiness..."

Murrue's cheeks turned pink from both her own feelings, and his soft touch. He grinned. "Okay?" She smiled, a true smile this time, and nodded. The Commander leaned down, and ever so gently, pressed his lips to hers. The kiss only lasted a few seconds, but Murrue's heart was racing when it ended.

"Did...did the mechanics say anything..." she whispered, embarrassed. The Commander laughed.

"Nah. I told them they could go get some rest if they promised never to mention it to anyone..."

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( And there we go. I probably wrote Murrue-san OOC again, but this AU stuff is hard... I know they didn't figure out how they felt until Mwu had to leave, but this is only about 3-4 days before that happened anyway, if that.

Please read and review! )


	6. Moonlight

( Good afternoon! (Well, it's afternoon here, and I wanted to be polite :D)

Here is my latest story. One of my favourites that I wrote in my last lot was 'Kekkon' (Marriage) and I had so much fun with the engagement flashback scene, that I decided to expand it into a proper story. Because you can never have too much fluff. )

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The dress uniform hung there, on the back of the door, stiff as a shop-window mannequin. Mwu poked at it in disgust, feeling the heavy fabric and sharp creases. How was he meant to wear this? Even if it was for only one night? Sure, the finalisation of the peace talks was important, and as second-in-command of an Orb battleship, he had to be there. But why did he have to dress up? It didn't suit him, being lined up with others wearing the same thing, like a row of tin soldiers. That was part of the reason he dressed so casually in the first place...

Sighing, Mwu took down the outfit and began to put it on, grumbling all the while. The thick material was hot and restrictive, and the sleeves and collar itched like crazy. He badly wanted to roll the sleeves up, loosen the collar, anything, but tonight was too important for that. Plus...his girlfriend would kill him. Placing the cap on his head at an oblique angle, he pulled on the white gloves that were part of the uniform, and frowned.

_This feels strange...like I'm Neo again. I hate it._

"Mwu? Are you ready?" Murrue stuck her head around the bedroom door, and smiled. "Come on, we have to be going soon.."

Walking into the room, she glanced him up and down, and shook her head in amusement. "Look at you..you can't go like that."

She straightened out his collar, and brushed down the front of the jacket, then stepped back. "Better. But your cap's all crooked."

Mwu sighed, and straightened the cap so it stayed on properly, on top of his thick golden hair. Everything about him looked dejected and sulky, and Murrue giggled.

"Now come on. This is a special occasion. Everyone else has to wear it. And I bet Kira-kun and the other senior officers have an even more fussy uniform. And it's only for one night..."

"Yeah.." whined Mwu, "But..." He leaned down to try and kiss her, only to be stopped by the brims of their caps knocking together. It made it impossible for him to reach her lips, and he pouted, making her laugh again. Her uniform was just as heavy and stiff as his, yet she wore it as if she was dressed for everyday, looking neat and perfect. But then, she always looked perfect...

At Government House, where the ceremony was taking place, the main room was packed full of people, civilians in their best clothes, members of the ruling council, and soldiers, representatives of every ship in the Orb fleet. All of them were in the dress uniforms, just as Murrue had said, and Kira, being a General, was covered in gold braid and ribbons. The boy looked thoroughly miserable, and Mwu could sympathise with him.

_We look like dolls. Or kids playing dress-up..._

Outwardly, Mwu was his normal cheerful self, laughing and joking with Kira and the others. But inside, he was nervous as hell. He was sure everyone could see how his hands were shaking, and the fact that he was so restless. But today..it was just the right time. With peace being officially declared, he couldn't have asked for a better moment. And the weather was beautiful. He had to do it today. He patted his pocket, grateful for once to the thick material that concealed what he carried.

As the doors at the end of the room opened, the Orb personnel lined up at the right hand side, at attention. Murrue and Mwu stood at the front, along with Kira and the other officers, as they were captain and second-in-command of a ship. Murrue could feel the tall man fidgeting and shuffling, and she poked him in the ribs to get him to stay still.

The party from PLANT entered the room, the Supreme Council being escorted by ZAFT soldiers, the Chairman at the back surrounded by red-coated elites, including a young woman with long brown hair. Murrue blinked. This chairman was much younger than she had expected..only a boy, perhaps Kira's age or a little older. He had silver hair and blue eyes, and looked rather fierce.

Feeling Mwu stiffen beside her, she looked up at him. His blue eyes were filled with worry, and tension was in every line of his body.

_It's only been three months since he recovered his memories...and the only Coordinators he had contact with before then weren't ZAFT soldiers, not really. When he was with the Alliance..of course, he was told that Coordinators were the enemy..taught to distrust and be wary of them. They were his enemy..._

Mwu frowned, and moved slightly in front of Murrue, as if to protect her, and she placed a gentle hand on his arm.

"It's okay.." she whispered. "They're not going to do anything. It's safe." Her lover stepped back, but the worry didn't leave him.

A newscaster had been there since the beginning, and was excitedly reporting on all that happened. His voice became low as the two leaders walked towards the table with the document on, and sat down together. They took up pens, and leaned towards the document. The entire room crackled with anticipation.

"And with this signature;" the broadcaster said in a hushed voice, "the peace treaty between PLANT and the Orb Union is official!"

The two leaders, the Supreme Chairman and Representative Athha, leaned forward and signed the peace treaty.

The whole room erupted in cheers and shouts. Everyone was hugging everyone else, and Murrue grabbed Mwu's arm and shook it excitedly. But Mwu seemed subdued, quiet.

"What's the matter? You should be celebrating!" said Murrue.

Mwu smiled softly. "Come with me a moment..."

He pulled her outside onto a balcony. The moon was full in the sky, it's reflection glittering off the sea, turning the world silver. It was beautiful.

"Murrue;" Mwu began, drawing her attention to him. "I just wanted to say that I'm so glad we were able to find each other again. I sure as hell don't deserve someone like you, and the fact that you still love me after all the pain I put you through makes me the luckiest person alive. You said we can always be together now, right? So, how about we make that permanent?"

He got down on one knee and pulled a small velvet box out of his pocket. Inside was a beautiful gold ring, topped with a diamond cut in the shape of a heart.

Murrue couldn't think straight, almost couldn't breathe. Her heart was beating so loudly, she was sure he must be able to hear it. _Was he...was this...?_

Mwu took a deep breath, and looked up at her, long blonde hair blowing in the slight breeze. "Murrue, I love you, will you marry me?"

Murrue gasped, tears streaming down her face. This had to be a dream, she would wake up any second, she knew it. To make sure, she pinched herself, hard.

"What are you doing, silly?" he asked.

"It's not a dream, it's not a dream.." she whispered.

"I hope not. But if it is, I don't want to wake up without getting an answer. So, what do you say?" said Mwu, laughing.

"Oh yes...yes, definitely!" Murrue cried, the tears coming even harder now.

Mwu let out a breath he didn't even know he'd been holding, and slipped the band onto her left ring finger after removing her glove. Then he stood up, and, laughing again, picked her up by the waist and swung her round. Murrue giggled happily, her tears flying into the air, being turned sparkling silver by the moon.

Gently placing her back on the ground, Mwu held his new fiancee at arms length, gazing at her affectionately. Murrue was so happy and stunned, she couldn't say or do anything, only smile like an idiot. She was dazed, heart thudding, mind whirling. He..he'd just asked her to be his wife..and she'd accepted him. He'd proposed to her...they were going to get married. The tears still fell, they wouldn't stop.

How long had he been planning this? Usually Mwu was no good at hiding these things. He wore his heart on his sleeve, his emotions were easy to read. But he had kept this hidden so well, she had had no idea that he was going to ask her something like this. Murrue stared down at the ring, the diamond glinting rainbow colours in the light from inside the building. It was so beautiful..it must have cost so much money. Looking up at Mwu, she blushed when she saw him still gazing at her.

"It still feels like a dream.." she whispered, reaching up to his cheek. He grinned, and held her hand against his face.

"It does, I know. But it'd be a good dream, right?"

She nodded. "The best I've ever had.." She moved closer to him, and wrapped her slim arms tightly around his neck, hugging him with all her strength. "Thank you so much.."

"Me?" he asked, returning her embrace. "It should be _me_ thanking _you._ I didn't know whether you'd accept me or not."

Murrue laughed and nuzzled into his neck. "Idiot. Like I'd have turned you down..."

Later, the newly-engaged couple sat together on the stone railing of the balcony, enjoying both the view and the company of each other. Murrue's head rested on Mwu's shoulder, and his arms were wrapped around her waist. They had both completely forgotten about the celebrations still taking place inside the building, and felt as if they were in their own world.

At least, until Kira and Lacus came outside to find where they had gone.

"Are you two all right?" asked Kira, looking concerned. "You came out here in a hurry...is there anything wrong?"

The pair on the railing blinked owlishly, as if waking from a dream. Murrue smiled softly. "Yes, we're just fine, thanks..."

Lacus looked curiously at the couple, sensing there was something different about them. Then she caught sight of the gold band on Murrue's left hand. Her pretty pale face lit up in delight, and she clapped her hands together. "Oh my! How wonderful!" The older woman blushed again, not being able to say anything much. Kira just looked lost, until he saw what his girlfriend had seen.

"Now I get it. Congratulations! I wondered how long it would take for this to happen, just a matter of time really. This calls for drinks to celebrate. What would you like?"

Mwu grinned. "Here, kid, I'll come help you carry them." Kissing Murrue gently, he followed the young man into the bustle of the room beyond the balcony. Lacus walked over and sat beside her friend. "Can I have a look?" Murrue raised her left hand and let the girl examine the engagement ring, giggling at Lacus's gasp of awe. "It's lovely! This is so wonderful..I can't tell you how happy I am for you both. You were so sad when you were alone..this must be like a dream to you.." At Murrue's silent nod, Lacus continued.

"I could always tell you two were perfect together. Everyone could. Now all you have to do is plan the wedding.."

Murrue blushed vivid red, and looked at the floor. "It..it's too soon to think about that yet..." she muttered, embarrassed. "I don't want everyone to know just yet..to give us time to get used to things. But if I need help with anything..can I ask you?"

Lacus smiled. "Of course, Murrue-san. Everyone would be happy to help you."

After Mwu and Kira had returned with the drinks (which was unfortunately non-alcoholic punch), Kira and Lacus went back inside the room, after wishing them congratulations once more. Mwu sipped the punch, grimacing at the sharp taste, then looked over at his fiancee. Murrue was standing at the balcony railing, the moonlight shining on her dark auburn hair. Her flawless face wore a serious, wistful expression, as she fingered the diamond ring, making it glitter in the silver light. A single tear ran down her cheek, and Mwu at once put the cup down, and hugged her gently. "Hey, what's wrong, princess? Aren't you happy?"

She shook her head. "Of course I am..but..but I'm scared. I can't help being scared. I love you so much..and I want to marry you..but at the same time..I get more worried. The more I love you..the more I worry that something could happen to you...to us.."

He kissed her cheek, and hugged her tighter. "That's why I waited. For when peace was made official, and we didn't have to worry about being soldiers anymore. Now we don't have to fight, there's nothing to be afraid of. And even if by some fluke, it all happens again, then remember that wherever you go, I'll be right beside you. Just like before, and like always. Forever."

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( zOMG more fluff! But I needed to write that. It helps balance out angst. Since fluff is much lighter than ze angst, you need more of it to make things balance. :nods:

Please read and review! )


	7. Hospital

(Okay. This is just an idea I had last night. It's sort of a turn-around, and shorter than most of my work. And please don't hit me! )

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_Where am I?_

She looked up, and saw only white. As her eyes became used to the glare, she could make out patterns on the wall, light coming from outside, and floral curtains. Above her, a man came into view, with a white coat and a kind smile.

_A doctor? Am I sick?_

"Hello there.." the doctor said softly. "It's nice to see you're awake. You had us all worried"

_Worried? Why?_

She tried to sit up, but found that she couldn't move. Her eyes widened, and she began to panic. _I can't move!_

"Yes," said the doctor. "You had a pretty nasty fall. We thought you might have ended up paralysed, but luckily, this is only temporary. You'll be able to move more as the days go by, and in a few weeks, you'll be right as rain."

She found she was able to blink, and she could open her mouth. "I...I'm in hospital?"

The doctor nodded. "That's right, you've been in here for about three weeks now." He beckoned to someone outside. A man, with blonde hair to his shoulders almost dashed into the room, relief and worry all over his handsome scarred face.

She looked him up and down. He was tall, and strongly built, and there were further scars on his tanned arms.

"Oh, Murrue, I'm so glad you're all right!" he breathed, smiling happily.

She frowned.

"Who are you?"

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_Week 1, day 6_

_I'm able to move my arms and hands now, so I'm keeping a diary of what happens here. I've been in here for about a week now. The doctors ran some tests on me and said that nothing's wrong, it's temporary amnesia brought on by the fall. It sounds like I fell at work or something, when I was trying to fix an engine. So..I'm some sort of mechanic or engineer._

_They tell me that my name is Murrue La Fllaga, that I'm 30, and that I'm married. The blonde man I saw when I woke up...he's my husband...but I don't remember him._

_He says his name is Mwu, and he looked as if he might cry when I asked him who he was. Then he smiled and muttered something about irony. I don't know what he meant by that though. _

_He visits me every day. He's always so kind, and I look forward to his visits. He's not angry that I don't know him, but he..he looks so sad..._

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_Week 2, day 5_

_I've been in the hospital for two weeks. I can move the upper half of my body just fine, but not my legs yet. But I've been wheeled all around the hospital by Mwu. He brings me photographs, of my friends, and of us together. One of them was a wedding picture. I look different from how I expected. I knew I had brown hair, but I haven't been able to get to a mirror, so I didn't really know what I looked like. The me in the picture..she looks so happy. The wedding dress is beautiful. Mwu says that I saved it, put it in a trunk in the attic, and how we hoped our daughter might wear it one day._

_So I'm not just a wife..I'm a mother too? Now I want to remember more than ever..._

_Mwu also said that everyone missed me, missed my smile. I haven't smiled much since I was here...except when he comes to visit. It makes the day brighter. But I wish he'd smile properly. His smile never reaches his eyes..it's empty._

_For some reason I can't explain..I just **know** that a true smile from him is the most wonderful thing...it makes my heart race just imagining it..._

_He said that he loved me more than anyone in the world, and even if I never remembered him, that would never change._

_After he left..I just cried. I want so badly to remember! I asked the doctor if there was anything he could do, but he just said that 'these things take time.'_

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_Week 3, day 4_

_I'm able to walk now, and I've been out in the hospital garden. The sunlight and fresh air feel so good, and the flowers here are lovely. But...I'm lonely. Mwu hasn't been able to visit for a few days. The people who take care of our daughter have had to go away, so he has to stay home and look after her, since she's so little. I asked him if he wanted to bring her, but he said that she wouldn't understand why I didn't know who she was..and it would make her cry. I know what he means, but I'd love to see her. Her name is Stellar. I've seen pictures of her, and she's adorable. It just makes me more determined to remember everything._

_I hope..that Mwu is able to come visit me again soon. It's been so lonely without him here, and I really miss him._

_-----------------------------------_

_Week 4, day 5_

_I remembered! I was sitting in the day room, reading after Mwu had gone, and I caught sight of a scar on my left hand. I remembered I got it while I was chopping vegetables..the day I found out I was pregnant with Stellar..._

_Then..it hit me like a flood. It was like that one memory was holding back the others, and once I remembered that..._

_It's all here now, my childhood, the academy, my former lover, meeting and falling in love with Mwu..._

_The memories of losing him, then him forgetting me, were very painful, they made me cry. It still hurts even now. Even more so now I understand why he was talking about irony. He must have been so sad..my poor Mwu.._

_But I also remember our reunion, our wedding day, Stellar's birth..I can't believe how much I was missing!_

_Now I can't wait for Mwu to come visit me tomorrow..the doctors say now that my amnesia's gone..I can go home!_

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The elevator door opened, and Mwu walked out onto the ward where Murrue was staying. He carried a bunch of white roses he had cut from the garden that morning. He hoped that they might remind her of something, bring back part of her memories.

He wanted to be with Murrue as much as possible, but the confused look in those eyes of hers..it hurt so much. Now he understood how she must have felt when he didn't remember her.

_However long it takes for her to remember..I'll be waiting._

As he walked towards the room where she normally stayed, a nurse smiled at him.

"Good morning, Fllaga-san. She's in the day room today."

As he entered the room, a auburn blur flew towards him. "Mwu!" Murrue wrapped her thin arms around him, hugging him so tightly he could hardly breathe. The roses were practically crushed. Mwu hugged her back, not understanding, but glad anyway. He had missed her affection...

Finally, when she broke away a little, she looked up at him, those marigold eyes brimming with tears, full of love and happiness.

_That look..she's... _"Murrue...you know me?"

For an answer, she hugged him again, beginning to cry. "I'm...sorry.." she sobbed. "So sorry..that I-I forgot you. I remember everything now..I love you so much, Mwu!"

The nurse who had told him where she was entered the room, and smiled. "She remembered not long after you'd left yesterday. She was so mad that you couldn't come back. She's been telling us all about you, her little girl, her friends. She barely got any sleep last night, she was so excited.."

Murrue removed her head from his chest, cheeks tear-stained. "How's Stellar?"

Mwu smiled, a true smile, and stroked her face. "She's just fine. Staying with the pink princess. She misses her Mama, though.."

"Can..can we go home now?"

He nodded, his eyes shining with tears of his own. "Sure thing, sweetheart.." Bending down, he kissed her softly, tasting her lips for the first time in weeks. Murrue's eyes closed, one last tear of happiness slipping from them...

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( And there ye have it. Soppy ending, I know, but I really couldn't make her forget him for too long. I just thought it might be different, that's all. I hope no-one's mad at me...

Please read and review! )


	8. Debt

_'You see, I think you can love the world because there's someone out there who's precious to you...'_

Kira shifted in the sickbay bed, grimacing as the movement irritated his injuries. Managing to turn himself onto his left side, he paused as he watched the figure asleep in the other bed. The man's chest rose and fell with his steady breathing, golden hair falling about his face. The large scar on the man's face was easy to see, even in the dimness of the sickbay at night.

Kira frowned. He didn't know what could have happened to Mwu-san after Jachin Due, why he didn't come back to the _Archangel_ if he was alive, how he could have stayed with the Earth Alliance after all the things they did.

_They must have hidden his memories of us, or changed them in some way. But they couldn't change the person he is inside. That's what I sensed out there, on the battlefield. I **knew** it was Mwu-san somehow..._

_'I'm sure it's the same for everyone, why they try so hard. Isn't that why we fight?'_

Kira understood that. Murrue-san's words to him on the observation deck that snowy day were still as clear as they had been. That was what he fought for, for what and who was important to him. His ship, his country, but most of all his friends, Lacus, and Cagalli. Whatever happened, he would protect them all. Even if the same thing happened again, even if he was shot down.

He knew Murrue-san and the others felt the same way. But Murrue-san had looked...

_'But sometimes, there are people who do it the wrong way, who think the wrong way...when all you wanted in life was that one person to be there for you...'_

Kira had realised then that Murrue-san was talking about Mwu-san. Even after two years, she still...

Her loneliness...he had seen the depth of that on that day, for the first time since Jachin Due. She was very good at hiding her feelings, so much so that most people never noticed them. But he had. Murrue-san was one of his best friends, and he had come to know her very well. He had seen that even though she was always surrounded by friends, she was always lonely. Since she had never found anyone else, her heart still belonged to Mwu-san.

_So I decided, the next time I sensed Mwu-san on the battlefield, I'd find a way to bring him back to her..._

It was as thanks, really. Murrue-san was always so kind to him, ever since the early days when he had been so unsure of himself. She had helped him so much, and still did, with advice, support..she was like an older sister to him. Kira had relied on her so much..he wanted to repay her kindness. He wanted her to be happy, the way she was before, when she was with **him**.

Even though they had kept their relationship very secret, everyone had been able to see how much she and Mwu-san had loved each other. The way they acted around each other, it was obvious. And she had been so unhappy when he had been killed (or they thought he had) it made the rest of the crew unhappy to see her like that.

So Kira had brought Mwu-san back for that reason, to see Murrue-san happy again. His motives had also been partly selfish. If he brought Mwu-san back to the ship, it was someone else who could help defend them.

_And also so that I could thank him. Mwu-san helped me out so much, just like Murrue-san did. He was the one who helped me to become a better pilot. Without him, I would have been dead. I never got chance to really thank him for all he did. I thought that by bringing him back to Murrue-san, I could repay part of my debt to them..._

But this...he hadn't expected this. Mwu-san didn't remember anything about his time on the _Archangel_, about Murrue-san, any of the others...nothing. It was like he was a complete stranger. Mwu-san was angry about being on the ship, and had seemed to make it his mission to be objectionable. His sarcasm was still there, but it was no longer tempered by kindness. The things he had said when he woke up for the first time...he had made Murrue-san cry.

This hadn't been what Kira wanted. He had been able to tell when he sensed Mwu-san that something wasn't quite right. But he had simply thought that once Mwu-san was on _Archangel_, it would all be okay again. But it wasn't...

_I **know** he's Mwu-san, despite him saying that he's this 'Neo'. His heart is still the same, he's the same person underneath. He just doesn't remember.._

Sometimes, as he lay there, listening to things that were said, he wondered if he'd made the right decision by sending him back here. So far, his presence had just made Murrue-san sadder. The loneliness she had managed to keep hidden was clear now for all to see. It was like she had just realised how much she still loved Mwu-san, and her obvious heartbreak that he didn't know who she was...it was painful for Kira...because it was his fault she was like this, he was the one who brought Mwu-san back...

Sometimes, when he lay awake in the sickbay at night, he could hear the gentle tapping of her footsteps, and she would come into the sickbay, hidden in the dark, to watch Mwu-san as he slept. Kira's eyesight was much better than most people's, and he had clearly been able to see the plaintive longing in Murrue-san's eyes, as if she was silently pleading with him to remember her. Sometimes she would smile a little, perhaps imagining that he really was the man she still loved so dearly...

_Did I do the right thing? Would things have been better if I'd left him with the Alliance?_

No...no they wouldn't. Because if he'd left Mwu-san there...if he'd been killed...Mwu-san would never have had chance to know who he really was, or that people still cared about him. Here on _Archangel_, he had a chance to remember things. And even if not, perhaps one day he could at least be friends with them all. The things he had said...he did seem interested in Murrue-san, he had called her beautiful..so that could help jog his memories...

_And maybe one day I can repay my debt. By seeing him and Murrue-san together again, and happy. I'm sure that one day he'll remember..._

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( Lol. I wrote this from Kira-chan's POV, which was kinda tough. I don't like Kira very much in GSD, he annoys the hell out of me. Maybe it's because his personality did a U-turn, maybe it's cause I'm a Shinn fan..I don't know.

And it was partly inspired by Murrue-san's words to Kira-chan in phase 31. You can see how sad Murrue-san still is, and Kira-chan's reaction to that. I'm sure that's why he decided to send Neo-san to the _Archangel._

But please read and review anyway, okay? )


	9. Alexander

The house was quiet. The silence almost deafening, save for the hum of noise from outside, and the dripping of a tap that hadn't been fixed yet. Murrue sat on the sofa, feet tucked under her, trying to concentrate on a magazine. But the unusual quiet kept her from losing herself in the glossy pages. She was the only person in the house. Mwu was at work, Lily was at nursery, Stellar was at school, and that just left her there alone. Normally, she would be at work too, but recently she had been made to stay home.

Sighing, Murrue patted her stomach, feeling the movement within. Here was the reason why.

_I don't see why I can't stay there and just do paperwork or something..._

She had asked, but both Mwu and Erica had refused, saying that there was no way she would just meekly sit in her office and file papers. Murrue had pouted, wheedled, cajoled, in short, acted like her husband normally did, but to no avail.

So here she sat, bored out of her mind. And for some reason, very uncomfortable. She had tried shifting positions, walking around, lots of things, but nothing helped.

_It's probably indigestion. Mwu did cook last night, after all..._

She had been feeling this way since late last night, and indigestion was the only reason she could think of as to why she was in so much discomfort. Perhaps if she ran a nice warm bath, it would make her feel better?

The bath didn't help. In fact, it seemed to make things worse.. Murrue screwed up her eyes and breathed deeply, trying to will the pain away.

_It'll pass in a while..._

And sure enough, it did. It didn't go away entirely, but enough so she could get out of the bath and into her robe. Smiling to herself, Murrue was about to leave the bathroom...when the pain returned, far, far worse than it had previously. Collapsing to the floor, she gasped. Now she understood. This wasn't indigestion...the baby was coming.

_Why is it that all my children are so impatient, and choose the worst possible time to make an appearance? They must have too much of their father in them..._

She knew that she had to get up, to phone an ambulance, Mwu, anyone, but..it felt like it was too late. There was nothing she could do...it was going to happen too quickly.

She was afraid. She didn't want to do this by herself. She wanted to feel his arms around her, his warmth...she wanted Mwu.

Then she took a deep breath, fighting back the pain.

"Calm down..." she told herself sternly. "Don't panic, it's going to be all right. There's no time to call a doctor, sure. But you've done this twice before, you can do it again. It's okay..."

Closing her eyes, Murrue breathed deeply, calming herself. Being scared wouldn't help her or the baby, after all...

A few hours later, the back door opened, and two little girls ran in the house. Stellar had been by the nursery to pick up her little sister, and the two of them had walked home the short distance from there, chatting and laughing all the way.

"Mama! We're home!" called Stellar, running into the sitting room. Her mother wasn't there. And she hadn't been in the kitchen..was she upstairs? She was sleeping more these days because she was close to having the new baby, so maybe..

The sisters climbed the stairs and made their way to their parents' room.

"Mama? Are you in here?" Hearing their mother's laughter, Stellar and Lily giggled back, and ran up the steps to where the bed was...and stopped dead.

Mama was sitting up in bed, in her robe. She looked really tired, and in her arms was a bundle wrapped in a sheet.

Lily climbed on the bed to take a better look. "Mama...what's this?" the three-year-old asked, pointing to the bundle. Mama just smiled. "This is your new baby brother. Come and say hi!" Lily squealed in delight, and moved closer to Mama to look at the baby. Stellar smiled, and said "I'll come say hi in a minute. Would you like some water, Mama?"

Her mother sighed, and nodded. "I'd love some, sweetie.."

The nine-year-old ran downstairs, and into the kitchen. After getting the water, she ran to the phone, and dialled the academy.

_Papa will want to know. And I bet Mama hasn't called and told him yet. He'd be here otherwise..._

_"Hello?"_

"Papa, it's me. Mama, she...she had the baby today. All by herself, I think...did you know?"

Papa was silent. By that Stellar knew that Mama hadn't told him.

"_Okay, Stellar, I'll be right home. Make sure Mama is all right, and not in any pain."_

Mwu practically broke speed records getting home that day. All the time cursing his wife's stubbornness.

_Why didn't she call? She could have..._

Running into the house, taking three stairs at a time, he dashed into the bedroom. "Murrue!"

She looked exhausted, face whiter than the robe she wore. But she was smiling, happy to see him. "Oh, Mwu!"

He frowned. "Are you all right?" Murrue nodded, and held out the bundle still in her arms. "Look...we have a little boy.."

Mwu's face lit up in an idiot grin. He couldn't help it. He was so happy, he almost forgot he was supposed to be mad. Then, shaking his head, he lifted his wife from the bed, and carried her downstairs.

"Where are we going?"

"To the hospital, to get you checked over. And don't complain."

Leaving the girls with Lacus and Kira (after a hasty explanation), the pair sped off to the hospital. Murrue protested, but he wouldn't hear of it. He couldn't believe she'd had the baby all on her own...

"What would you have done if something had gone wrong?"

Murrue blinked, surprise in those beautiful eyes. "I..I don't know. I never thought about that..."

Mwu sighed. As they parked up at the hospital, he turned to her and stroked her cheek. "What would the girls have done if something bad had happened? What would _I_ have done?"

She looked down, tears in her eyes. "I know..but I had no time..it all happened so quickly. And all I could think about was..was how much I wanted you there with me..." A tear streaked down her cheek, and splashed onto the baby's forehead, making him whine a little.

Mwu softened, and kissed Murrue gently. "It's okay, honey. As long as you're all right..."

In the maternity ward, Murrue and the baby were tested, and while the results were being processed, Mwu got his first real glimpse of his new son. The tiny boy had dark copper hair, which was unusual given the colouring of his parents.

"Where did that come from, I wonder?" Mwu mused, cradling the infant in his arms. Murrue shrugged. "I have no idea. But it looks good.."

The blonde man looked thoughtful, a faraway look in his eyes, as though he was remembering something from a long time ago.

"You know, my mom had hair this colour..maybe that's where it's from..."

His wife chuckled softly, and pointed to the baby's face. "He has your chin.." Her laughter caused the baby to awaken, and he looked up at the one who held him. "Look.." Mwu breathed. "He has eyes just like yours..the exact same colour"

"What do you want to call him? I haven't given him a name yet."

The man shook his head. "No, it should be your choice."

Murrue held out her arms, and Mwu placed the tiny baby back into them. She looked down at her son for several minutes, then stared up at her husband, smiling.

"Alexander."

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( There ye have it. This one might be a bit more...rambling than the rest, but I wanted to write about this for a while. Hope it's okay!

Please read and review! )


	10. Three Weeks

zOMG fluff again...

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The man sat on the doorstep of the red-brick house, enjoying the late afternoon sunlight. A cold drink stood in a glass next to him, and a gentle breeze blew through the garden, making the myriad flowers dance, and stirring the man's long blonde hair.

He had been planting flowers in odd spots all around the garden. Not that it really needed any more, but it made _her_ smile, and that made it all worth it.

The day was quiet, only the sounds of a few cars, and insects breaking the silence. Mwu leaned back, and let the sunlight warm his scarred face, smiling at the heat.

_I could stay like this forever..._

He and Murrue had been living in this house in Orb for only three weeks, and they were still getting used to the idea of really being together, living as a couple. So far, it had been everything he had ever dreamed of. Of course, there were the odd niggles, like Murrue being mad at him for leaving the milk on the wrong shelf in the fridge, and he teasing her for taking so long in the shower. But all in all, it was to be expected, as previously their co-habiting had only been on a nightly basis...

After their squabbles, they would laugh together about how domestic they had become in such a short time. It was as if they'd been like this for always, living together. Everyone commented on how happy they seemed to be, Murrue especially.

She had lost the haunted look of loneliness she had worn for the last two years. That look had always been below the surface, even when she smiled. But now..it had disappeared. Now she was truly happy, and almost always had a smile on her beautiful face. She was like a different person now, and her happiness in turn made Mwu happy.

He was so proud to be able to announce to whoever asked that Murrue was his girlfriend. Before, on the _Archangel_, they had had to keep their relationship pretty secret. But now...now things had changed. They weren't soldiers anymore.

Of course, Murrue still blushed and stammered when he said that, but that was just the way she was...

_Now, we don't have to hide anything._

Mwu stood up and stretched. The last few weeks had passed pretty slowly, after all, he still hadn't found work yet. He had thought it might be difficult to find a job, but he had actually had been offered quite a few, including one that had really caught his interest, being a pilot instructor at Orb's military academy. The kid had found it, saying that it was perfect for Mwu.

_It sounds strange, but kinda fun at the same time.._

Murrue was back working at Morgenroete, where she had been for the previous two years. Mwu missed her while she was gone, but today, she was home, on a day off. But where was she?

Standing up, he wandered over to the far side of the garden, to the driveway, and smiled. So this was where she was hiding...

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Murrue frowned, and pushed up with all her might. There was a loud clanking sound, and the car axle popped into place, just where it ought to be. The car had been supposed to have been taken to the garage to be fixed, but Murrue had reasoned that it would be cheaper and easier to do it herself.

_I'm a trained engineer. If I can fix a ship's engine, I can fix a car's wheel..._

Her thoughs were interrupted by a blonde head peeking under the side of the car.

"Hey there! Whatcha doing?" Mwu's blue eyes twinkled with laughter at seeing how dirty she was.

"Fixing this. I know we said we'd take it to the garage, but I wanted to see if I could fix it first. And I can. I just have" She smiled happily, proud of herself. Mwu smiled back, and disappeared. All of a sudden, she felt something (or someone) tickling her bare feet, which were sticking out from underneath the car, and she squealed with laughter, squirming to try and escape.

"Stop it! Get off me!"

Finally wriggling free, Murrue came out from under the car, and stretched her arms, blinking in the strong sunlight.

Mwu stared at her. She looked so different to how he had always seen her. Instead of the pristine white and blue uniform he was so used to, she was simply clad in a T-shirt and a pair of jeans. There was a streak of oil on her face, and her dark hair was all messy. But oddly enough, to him, she had never looked better...

"Would you like a drink?" he asked softly. She nodded. "Please. I'm just going to take a shower, okay?"

As she walked off, Mwu found himself studying the shape of her...in her jeans.

_Whoa..._

After her shower, the couple sat together on the garden swing in the sunset, eating tacos. They didn't talk much, just enjoyed the other's company. His arms were wrapped around her, and he breathed in the scent of the shampoo from her still-damp hair.

Finally, he spoke up. He had wanted to ask her something for quite a while, and now seemed perfect.

"How come you were alone? How come you never found anyone else in those two years? You thought that I was dead, no-one would have blamed you for moving on with your life. And you're so beautiful...people must have been interested..."

Murrue looked down, a troubled expression in her large dark eyes. "Some were. People I worked with...they asked me. And I think that Commander Bartfeld liked me. But..I couldn't. After I thought you..you had died, I closed my heart away. I didn't want to let anyone else in...in case it all happened again. I never wanted to feel that pain again, so I thought it was safer to not love anyone again. So...my heart stayed as it had been...in love with you..."

Mwu kissed the top of her head, and pulled her a little closer. "You don't know how glad I am to hear that. I thought for sure that you would have found someone else while I'd...been away. But I still have you all to myself, and now we don't have to be soldiers anymore. I wouldn't be able to share you..."

Murrue smiled, and looked up at him. "I never thought you were the jealous type..."

He chuckled. "I never thought so either. Not until I met you. But it's true. And now we aren't at war anymore...we can always be together"

She nodded, and snuggled close to him. "That's true." Pushing herself up, she pressed her lips to his in a loving kiss, which he immediately returned.

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	11. Fever

The _Archangel_ rested in the grey docking bay of the moon city Copernicus. It had been there for several days, almost a week now. It was the safest place the Orb fleet could be under the circumstances. Of course, ZAFT knew they were there, but with the city being neutral, there wasn't much that they could do.

At the moment, _Archangel_ was in communication with the Clyne Faction ship _Eternal_. That ship had spies on PLANT, keeping watch for any sign of movement by Chairman Dullindal and his supporters. Although nothing had been confirmed yet, it was clear that something big was due to happen any day now. Perhaps the announcement of this 'Destiny Plan' that Kira and Lacus had been talking about...

As she conversed with Commander Bartfeld on the other ship, Murrue noticed that the other captain's eyes kept flicking to her right, as if he wasn't sure what he was seeing. Murrue knew that Colonel Lorrnoke was standing there, just behind her chair, but Commander Bartfeld had seen him before, he knew that he looked like Mwu. So why did he keep staring like that?

Turning around in the captain's chair, Murrue glanced at the Colonel...then understood the reason.

Colonel Lorrnoke looked dreadful. His normally tanned skin was pale, and his eyelids were fluttering. Beads of sweat stood out on his face.

"Colonel? Are you all right?" He blinked, and looked at Murrue as if he wasn't sure where he was. Then he managed a smile, but it was a weak imitation of his usual grin. "Huh? Oh yeah, I'm fine..." He swayed on his feet slightly as he spoke, and grabbed onto the back of Murrue's chair to steady himself. The auburn-haired woman raised an eyebrow. _Yeah, you're just fine..._

After the meeting, the crew filed off the bridge. The Colonel made as if to follow, but Murrue grabbed his arm and pulled him back. His skin was ice-cold beneath her touch, and she gasped. He smiled again, but his heart wasn't in it. "What's wrong, Captain?

"Me? I should be asking _you_ that. You're sick, aren't you?"

He shook his head. "No, no, I'm fine. I'm just tired, that's all. I'll be okay after a sit down." He made his way unsteadily across to one of the chairs on the bridge, and slumped into it, not able to contain a groan. Concerned, Murrue pressed a hand to his forehead, then recoiled.

_He's burning up..._

She slipped a hand around his back, under his arm, and helped him to his feet. "Come on, I'm taking you to sickbay. You can't go on like this." Ignoring his protests, she escorted him off the bridge, and into the elevator. He leaned against the wall, pressing his head to the cool metal. His breathing was becoming more laboured, and Murrue was very worried. He didn't seem the type to get sick easily, like Mwu. So this must be serious.

As she helped him into sickbay, the Colonel collapsed. Even in the low gravity of the moon, he was still too heavy for Murrue to hold up, and she couldn't prevent him from falling to the ground. Hearing her cry, the doctor ran to see what the trouble was.

"The Colonel is sick? That's unusual. The last tests I ran on him indicate he has a very strong immune system. Here, these orderlies will lift him onto the bed.."

As the Colonel was checked over, Murrue hovered nearby, not wanting to be too close, but not wanting to leave either. At least, not until she knew what was wrong with him.

Finally, the doctor rolled up his stethoscope. "Yes, it seems as if he has a fever. He probably ignored it, which is why it's gotten so bad. But he's a strong person, and he should easily have thrown this off by tomorrow. All he needs is a good rest." He called the orderlies to take the Colonel to his room. "He doesn't need to stay here, and he'll be much more comfortable there."

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Murrue tucked the bedsheets around the Colonel's sleeping form, and turned to leave. But as she did, he shifted in the bed and mumbled, screwing up his scarred face as though he were in pain. Guilt stabbed through the woman's heart.

_He really is sick...I'm sure he'll be okay, but I'll stay with him for a while._

Placing a wet cloth on his forehead, Murrue sat down beside his bed, looking around her. The room was practically bare, but of course, the Colonel had been a prisoner before, and he hadn't brought any possessions with him. All he'd had was that black Earth Alliance uniform, and she wasn't sure what had happened to that. But even though the room was empty of material things, it was full in other respects. The atmosphere..it was still so familiar. This room...had belonged to Mwu. After Jachin Due, she had locked this room, not wanting to stir up painful memories, and not wanting anyone else to use it. But for _him_, for the Colonel...she had let him. This had become his room, and curiously enough, she had been fine with it. It seemed...right, somehow...

He mumbled again, startling her. His face was screwed up again, and his breathing was heavy. His cheeks were flushed, and he was shivering violently. The cloth on his forehead was warm and bone-dry, and Murrue soaked it through again, replacing it.

The expression of pain was ironed out from his features, and he looked more peaceful now, innocent, like a child.

Smiling a little, Murrue brushed damp golden hair from his face, causing him to stir. His bright blue eyes opened, and he looked up at her.

"Hey there.." he whispered. "What are you doing here?" He smiled softly, and Murrue blushed.

"I-I just wanted to make sure you were okay..." she stammered, and stood up. As she turned to leave, he grabbed her hand.

"Please..stay here for a while. I'm happy that you're here..." She looked down, marigold eyes trained on the floor. She was horribly embarrassed...

"Please?" His face wore a sad expression, and he clung to her small hand tighter. Sighing, she nodded, and sat back down beside him. "Okay. But only for a little while..."

As she sat beside him, chatting, he kept hold of her hand. It confused Murrue, but annoyingly, it also gave her a warm happy feeling. Trying to shake it off, she blinked as she noticed the Colonel was smiling at her. "What is it?"

"Oh, nothing. I just found out that she was right, that's all."

"Who was?"

His grin increased. "My friend Stellar. She told me once that if someone you really like holds your hand when you're sick, you get better faster. And she was right. It's working."

Murrue flushed scarlet. "And-and..that's why...you're holding my hand...?" She blushed even more when he nodded.

She sighed again "Come on, you'll get better faster if you get some sleep, never mind holding my hand.."

The Colonel smiled, but his shivering seemed to be getting worse. His hand was like ice, and the thin bedsheets didn't help him at all. Murrue tucked them tighter around him, but it had no effect. There was nothing in the room that would help to warm him up. Nothing at all, except...

_No! No way, I can't! _Her cheeks flamed red, as she shook her head to get rid of the thought.

**Why not? He did it for you...**

_No, Mwu did that for me when I was sick. This man...he isn't Mwu._

**But he's close enough. And you do like him, don't you?**

She buried her face in her hands, trying to get her thoughts in order. Then she decided.

Neo couldn't remember ever having been so cold. Not even Berlin in the snow had been as bad as this. Huddling in the bed covers didn't work at all. The only part of him that was warm was his hand, still clasped in the Captain's. Then, even that warmth disappeared when she suddenly let go of his hand. He was about to protest, when she climbed onto the bed beside him, having removed her boots.

"Huh?" he muttered sleepily. "What are you doing?"

The Captain took a deep breath, and held her arms out. "Here. This should help warm you up a bit.." Her cheeks were bright red, and she didn't look into his eyes. But Neo was delighted.

_Am I dreaming?_

Slowly, cautiously, he moved closer to her, wrapping his arms around her. She was sitting up, so he couldn't get as close to her as he'd have liked, but this..this was more than enough. Snuggling up to her, Neo breathed a sigh of relief (and happiness) as he began to warm up. He realised that his head was resting on her chest...but he didn't want to move. In fact, he could quite happily stay here for hours even if he _wasn't_ sick. Her scent enveloped him, and the combination of her warmth and the thump of her heartbeat was lulling him to sleep. And she was so beautiful...

"You're so warm...and you smell so nice. Thank you..."

Murrue looked down at the drowsy man, her mind whirling. When he had laid his head on her chest, she had been about to push him off...then seen the happy smile on his face. Plus, he had stopped shivering, so it was worth it.

Her hand was still resting on his head, where she had tried to push him away, and she could feel the softness of his wavy gold hair beneath her fingers. It was all so familiar..the feel of him, and the weight, his smell...it was like Mwu had never left her.

A single tear rolled down her cheek, and dripped off her chin, vanishing into his blonde hair.

"What's wrong?" he asked, looking up at her. "Don't cry. Do you want me to move?"

The Colonel looked so concerned, despite his illness, that Murrue shook her head. It wouldn't do any good to tell him.

"I must remind you of him, huh? I'm sorry..." He lowered his head back down, and tightened his hold on her a little, as if trying to comfort her.

"It's not your fault.." said Murrue softly, wiping the tears away. "Don't worry..."

He nodded slowly, drowsiness overtaking him. "I wish I _was _him...he sure was lucky..." With that, the man fell asleep.

Murrue pulled the covers up some more, tucking them around the sleeping man. His face looked so peaceful and innocent in slumber, just like Mwu's...it was just like he was here. Unconcsiously, she stroked his hair, breathing in his scent.

She fell asleep like that, the first time she had had someone sleep beside her for two years. A small smile graced her face as she dreamed of her beloved, only it was a happy dream, no longer a nightmare.

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( Yay! Teh fluff again! I always pick on Murrue-san, so today, it's Neo-san's turn to be sick. And I know that I wrote Murrue-san OOC, but the idea was so cute, I couldn't help myself...

And for those of you who recognised something from Tsubasa Chronicle in my fic...congratulations. You get a cookie.

Please read and review! )


	12. The Night Before

(Some of what Mwu thinks in this was inspired by MapleRose's story 'Answers'. I just wanted to say that because I don't want people to think that I'm copying her in any way...okay?)

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The room was dark, the only light visible the pinpoints of stars shining through the uncurtained windows. It was late, but somehow, the occupants of the room weren't sleepy, preferring to stay awake and talk to each other in soft voices. Even though they knew they should be sleeping, as it appeared that the huge battle they had all been dreading would begin tomorrow, they didn't want to sleep, wanting instead to enjoy each other's company as long as possible.

Mwu was lying on his back in the bed, staring up at the bland grey ceiling of the small room. Suddenly, he spoke up.

"So, where do you see yourself in ten years' time?"

His lover blinked at the odd question from out of the blue. "I..I don't know. I've never really given it much thought..." She looked up at him from where she was lying beside him, her chin resting on his chest.. "What about you?"

Mwu grinned at her, one hand caressing Murrue's dark hair. "Well, I'm not a hundred percent sure, but I know what I'd like to have...I'd like to live somewhere peaceful. And..and I'd like my own family one day. You know, a wife, a bunch of kids, the whole works. Something like that."

Murrue's marigold eyes were wide in surprise. "I didn't know you felt that way. You..you don't seem the type."

"To what? Want a family? Well..." He sighed. "I kinda want to know what it's like. My own childhood...basically it sucked. I just wondered what a real family's supposed to be like, where everyone cares for each other. Does that sound weird?"

She shook her head. "No, it sounds like a good idea..."

Mwu chuckled. "And of course, my wife would have to be someone beautiful, someone I loved...do you know anyone like that?"

The young woman blushed scarlet. "I-I...I..." She hid her face so he wouldn't see how embarrassed she was at his teasing, which made him laugh again.

"So then, what about you?" he asked. "Would you like a family?" She didn't reply right away, only mumbled softly.

"It's...it's too soon to think about something like that..Ten years is too far away."

Mwu thought for a moment. "I guess you're right. Okay then, let's say...six months into the future?"

Murrue rolled onto her back, her head nestling on his shoulder. "Maybe...a little house somewhere. A nice job, a nice garden, something like that. Nothing too complicated." Mwu smiled, and wrapped his arms around her waist. His voice and breath tickled her ear as he spoke. "And would anyone be with you in this house? Say...a charming, brave, and devilishly handsome pilot?" He nuzzled her neck, and she giggled.

"I don't know. Do you know anyone like that?" she asked with a sly smirk. Mwu raised his eyebrows. "Oh, is that right? Sick of me already? We'll see about that!"

He rolled over, and began to tickle her sides, grinning at her squeals of laughter. Murrue wriggled about, trying to escape, but he had a firm hold on her. Her cheeks were flushed red, and there were tears of laughter in her amber eyes. "Stop it...stop it!" she gasped.

"You know I meant you...so stop it!"

When she had recovered her breath, Mwu noticed the sad expression that had appeared on his beloved's face. "Hey..why the sad face? What's wrong?" he asked, gently stroking her cheek. She turned her head away, tears building up in her eyes.

"It's..I don't like...thinking about the future..it's tempting fate too much. When I don't know what's going to happen tomorrow, or the day after that..I don't want to get my hopes up.."

Mwu sighed, and kissed her on the cheek. "I understand. But you know, it's okay to dream sometimes.."

She still wouldn't look at him. "The last time I let myself dream about the future..was when I was with **him**. And..and he..." She stared up at Mwu, fear written all over her pale face. "I don't want to dream...I don't want to lose you..like I lost him!" She began to cry, her body shaking with her sobs.

Dismayed, Mwu sat up, and pulled her into his arms, gently rocking her back and forth to soothe her as she cried. He kissed her tears away, and stroked her hair. "Sssssshhhhhh, it's okay. There's nothing to worry about. Whatever happens, we'll always be together..."

Murrue looked up at him, the tears still falling. "But...but..." He smiled tenderly, and placed a finger on her lips. His bright blue eyes shone with love and care. "Always." he repeated. He took one of her small hands in his, and guided it to her chest, above her heart.

"Because I'm in here, aren't I?" She nodded. "Of course you are. I love you..."

His smile broadened in happiness, and he then moved her hand to his own chest. She could feel his heart beating strongly.

"And you're in here, because _I _love _you_. Whatever happens..to either of us, we'll still be alive in the other's heart, okay?"

Her eyes were wide as she stared at him for several minutes, then she wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly.

Mwu lowered her back down to the bed, hands caressing her soft skin. "Let's not think about tomorrow, or the next day, or anything like that, if it upsets you so much. We're here, right now, and we're together." His lips met hers in a gentle kiss, and she gratefully returned it, his touch erasing all the fear and uncertainty she felt.

_He doesn't know how right he is..._ Murrue thought. _I want to stay here like this forever, just the two of us, here, where the war doesn't exist, and I don't have to be afraid of losing him...losing the one I love._

Then she thought of nothing but him...

A few hours later, Mwu lay propped up on an elbow, watching Murrue as she slept. Her beautiful face wore a serene smile, which was a definite improvement on the worry and fear from earlier. He softly trailed a finger down her cheek.

Truth be told, the imminent battle worried him too, far more than he had thought, and far more than she knew. Before, he had been in so many battles, and he really hadn't cared whether he'd lived or died. He'd just been lucky to survive this long. He had often wondered if anyone would really care if he was killed.

But then he had met her...and his outlook had changed. He wanted to live.

_I want to live..for her. Live and be with her. To perhaps have a future with her. Now I know that she'd miss me if I died. Someone would care. Someone loves me._

_But at the same time...if it came down to it, I'd do whatever it took to protect her. Even if it does mean my death. I want to live for her, but if I had to...I would die for her. Is that what it means to love someone?_

Mwu leaned down and kissed his sleeping lover lightly. _She's the strong one, really. Not me. If I died, she'd be sad, but I'm sure she'd be able to keep going. But me...I wouldn't be able to cope without Murrue. I wouldn't want to live in a world without her in it._

He had made his decision. Even though he knew she'd be unhappy if he died, if that's what it took to keep her safe, then he would take that chance. To protect the one he loved.

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( Ya. Those were two of the ideas I've had for a while about our hero. The fact that he isn't nearly as strong emotionally as Murrue-san, (and it seems Alone In A New Place thinks the same :waves to her:) and the fact that he'd want a wife and kids one day so he'd be able to learn what a real family is like. :grins: I'm not sure whether you agree with that or not, but read and review, and let me know, ne? )


	13. Shopping

(Lol, after all that angst yesterday, I had to update this story with some fluff, didn't I?)  
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It was laundry day. Clothes lay everywhere inside the little room, in neatly ordered piles, waiting for their owners to come pick them up. It was a chore, but it had to be done. Besides, it would be only a matter of weeks before Archangel's mission officially ended, and the ship and crew could go home to Orb.  
Murrue carefully picked up her pile of clean uniforms, and little cloth bag of other items, and turned to make her way out of the laundry room. The pile she carried was so tall, she couldn't see over the top of it..thus didn't see when she walked straight into someone.  
The laundry went one way, and she almost went the other, but a strong hand grabbed her arm, and pulled her back upright.

"Whoa! Steady there!" The man grinned, and bent down to help Murrue pick up the stack of clothing that had gone flying.  
"Did you come to get your laundry too?" the auburn-haired woman asked. Mwu beamed. "Sure did." He made his way over to where the piles waited, and picked up a very small stack of uniforms. "Here it is."

Murrue frowned. She had forgotten that the only clothing Mwu had was ship-issue. He had no civilian clothes at all.  
Of course, it was understandable, given that he'd been brought to Archangel as a prisoner originally, and had only had the clothes he'd been wearing at the time. He hadn't even been able to get anything in Orb the last time they were there, as the country had just been attacked by ZAFT, and needed time to recover. Murrue herself had a couple of civilian outfits, salvaged from the wreckage of her old house. But Mwu...even on their date he'd had to wear his uniform.  
She thought to herself for a moment, wondering what she should do. Then she remembered.  
_He and I...we're both off duty today...perfect!_

"Hey...you want to go out to the city today?" Mwu's handsome face lit up. "What, another date?"  
Murrue giggled. "Actually, I was thinking that we could go shopping. You need some proper clothes"  
His face fell. "Awww...shopping? That's no fun..." He pulled her into his arms, laundry and all, and whined in her ear. "Can't we have a date instead? Please?"  
She pushed him off. "Don't be a baby. You need clothes. And I didn't say we couldn't make it a date at the same time..."

Later that day, the couple walked into the city together, hand-in-hand. Annoyingly for Mwu, Murrue insisted that they got the shopping done first, before the date started. He complained, sulked and grumbled, but it did no good. Murrue had decided that they were shopping, and nothing he said could change her mind. They walked around shops, where she made him try on all kinds of things, and his mood got lower and lower with each shop. Finally, as they walked out of a mall, Murrue turned to him, a scowl on her beautiful face. "Will you stop acting like a child? It's just clothes!"  
Mwu blinked. "Uhh, sorry. I just don't like shopping, that's all" She sighed, and took his hand. "Come on"  
"Where are we going?"  
Murrue pulled him around a corner, and into an ice-cream parlour. "Now, will you stop sulking?"  
He grinned happily. "If I can have a sundae.."

After their ice-cream break (where Mwu had managed to get chocolate syrup down his chin), they resumed shopping. Mwu didn't complain anymore, and even pointed things out to her. One of the items of clothing he saw was a pretty, short dress in lilac and blue. "Hey, why don't you go try that on?"  
Murrue blushed. "It's...it's a bit short..." He chuckled, handed her the garment, and pushed her inside a changing room. "Go on now"  
When the curtain was pulled back, he gasped. The dress was a perfect fit, the hem brushing her thighs.  
"You look... awesome!"  
She looked down at the length of the skirt, flushed scarlet, and vanished back into the cubicle, the rings of the curtain jangling.  
"I can't wear that!"  
As Murrue changed back into the dress she had worn to come out in, the short one was thrown over the wall. Grinning mischievously, Mwu grabbed the outfit, and ran off to pay for it. It took...quite a while, and several kisses, before she would talk to him again...

Now that their date had begun for real, the two of them took a stroll through the park where they had walked on their first date. Mwu sighed, and closed his eyes, smiling softly. "It's so peaceful here"  
Murrue looked up at him, understanding in her dark eyes. "You're not used to this, are you?"  
"No, not really. In the last two years, all I really did was fight, or prepare to fight. How..how do I live in peace?"  
She smiled, and squeezed his hand. "You can learn, now you're able to. We all did. It takes time, but it's the best thing in the world." She stood up on her tip-toes, and kissed him lightly. Then she opened her eyes wide in surprise as a drop of water fell right on the end of her nose.  
"It's raining!"  
Mwu looked baffled. "How can it rain? We're on the moon..."  
She held her hand out to collect the raindrops. "It's artificial. They do the same on colonies where they grow food. It helps make it feel more natural, more Earth-like, I guess"  
The rain fell harder, beginning to soak them both through. Joining hands, and laughing, the couple ran to find shelter.

As the rain fell outside, Mwu and Murrue found respite in a bar. The bar was pretty empty, as it was still the middle of the day.  
"That's some rain!" laughed Mwu, slipping his uniform jacket around his girlfriend's shoulders. His blonde fringe was plastered to his forehead, almost hiding his blue eyes. "I can't see"  
Murrue's hair was in a similar state, and her make-up was running. "I must look like a panda"  
He grinned. "Kinda. But it's cute." He looked around. "Hey, look where we ended up. Fancy a drink?"  
Ordering two shots of vodka, he watched wide-eyed as Murrue downed the strong drink in one go. "Whoa..I forgot you could do that. I still don't know where you put it..." He grinned wickedly. "Think you can drink more than me?"  
The dark-haired woman raised an eyebrow. "Is that a challenge, Mwu La Fllaga?"

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Kira waited anxiously at the outer door of Archangel, waiting for his friends to come home. Murrue-san and Mwu-san had gone out shopping that morning, and they still hadn't got back yet.  
_Where could they have gone? I hope nothing bad happened...  
_His worried train of thought was interrupted by whispering and giggling coming from the darkness of the dock. The captain and second-in-command of the ship weaved up to the door, stopping when they saw who was waiting.

Murrue-san blushed, and hid behind Mwu-san, who merely grinned, and saluted sloppily.  
"Hey there, General. Permission to come aboard?" Kira just glared. "Granted, I guess. But where have you two **been**?"  
Mwu-san raised the bags he carried. "Shopping!"  
"Shopping doesn't make you like _that_"  
The older man pressed a finger to his chin, thinking. Then he brightened. "Oh yeah! We found a bar, and we decided to see who could drink more..." He jerked a thumb over his shoulder to the still-silent Murrue-san. "She won"  
Murrue-san stuck her head out from behind her boyfriend. "I'm sorry, Kira-kun...We didn't mean to be so late..." She seemed better off than Mwu-san, oddly, but still pronounced her words carefully so she didn't slur.

Kira sighed. "It's okay. But go get some sleep, all right"  
The couple walked slowly into the ship, and made their way to the officers' quarters. Mwu just managed to get in his room and lay on the bed before he fell fast asleep, snoring loudly. Murrue had intended to go to her own room, but seeing Mwu asleep just reminded her of how tired she herself was. Stumbling wearily into his room, she managed to take her boots off, and lie down beside her lover, resting her head on his chest. Then, she too fell asleep.

Kira stood outside the door, after making sure the pair were sleeping. He shook his head, smiling.  
"They'll regret that tomorrow...

-  
( Lol XD. I had fun writing this one. I may have made our Mwu a wee bit too childish, but every man (and boy) I've ever met hates shopping. And for them being drunk..I have no excuse for that. Hope Lithiumflower doesn't mind :D

Please read and review! )


	14. Flustered

_How quickly things change..._

Neo stood alone on the outer deck of the _Archangel_, looking up at the night sky. Thoughts and emotions swirled together in his mind, weighing him down. In the ship, there was so much that was familiar, yet not...he felt better up here, in the night air, the breeze from the sea blowing over him, helping clear his head.

_It's barely been a few weeks since I was brought to this ship as a prisoner..and now here I am..part of the crew..._

The dock where the battleship rested was quiet, peaceful. The moon hung bright in the sky, accompanied by the stars, which shone more brilliantly than he remembered. Or was it just that he'd never noticed them before? The lights in the sky reflected off the sea, making the world shine silver. Across the water, the lights from the city on the mainland glittered and twinkled.

Neo took a deep breath.

_How long has it been since I took the time to enjoy things like this? I can't remember..._

He wasn't used to this kind of peace. Before, even when he was off duty, even when his ship was docked, he'd never taken time off really. The bases and docks had always been prepared for battle. But here...this place was nothing at all like he'd been used to. Despite what had just happened to their country, the people and soldiers here weren't concerned with revenge, just rebuilding. The Earth Alliance wasn't like that. And so far, Neo liked the change.

_But I'm still not sure..why I want to stay here so badly.._

There was nothing to stop him from returning to the Earth Alliance if he really wanted to. He could fly away, and find a remnant of the forces. Sure, most of the Alliance had been wiped out at Heaven's Base, but there must still be some, somewhere.

But now the more that Neo thought about it, the less he wanted to return to his old life. He didn't want to go back to being the way he used to be.

_It wouldn't work. Being here...has changed me too much. I'm not the same person I used to be._

Besides...everyone here accepted him without question, accepted that he wanted to stay here. They all seemed so happy that he chose to be with them, and he'd even been allowed to keep his rank. Their trust had touched him, and he couldn't bring himself to betray that, even if he wanted to.

And...there was something about this ship, these people, that made Neo want to be here. He didn't know why, but something told him that he should stay with these people. Especially _her._

It was surprisingly easy to make friends with the people here, even the Representative was friendly and approachable.

But **she**..she was different. Special somehow.

He didn't really understand why he felt so drawn to her..to the Captain. Sure, she was incredibly beautiful, and kind, almost perfect. But that wasn't the only reason..it went beyond physical attraction. Neo felt as if he had some kind of connection with her, like he knew her better than anyone, and the same was true in reverse. Perhaps that was why..why he wanted to be with her as much as he could. When you weren't sure who you were anymore, knowing that someone had the answers to your questions was very comforting.

_I don't understand why..but I know that if I stay here with her, I'll be happy._

Sitting down on the deck railing, Neo smiled to himself, almost without knowing why. He looked down at the uniform he wore, the blue and white of Orb. The Captain had given him this, and had looked so happy when he put it on. Her smile made him feel warm and kinda fuzzy inside. It was a strange feeling, but a very nice one.

The uniform itself..he liked it. It was much brighter, and a lot less restrictive, than the severe black EA uniform he had been so used to. When he had donned the garment, Neo had automatically rolled up the cuffs and unzipped the collar, not knowing why he did it. It had felt natural...

He had even had a haircut. The breeze ruffled the wavy blonde, the cool air hitting the back of his neck. Neo chuckled to himself.

_My old comrades..they wouldn't recognise me if they saw me now..._

The smile disappeared, and the man fingered his face, feeling the raised surface of the scar that stretched across it. That was more true than he had realised. No-one **would **recognise him..all anyone had ever seen was a mask. No-one he had served with had had the faintest idea what he had really looked like.

_At least here, people can see the real me. Even if they do call me 'Mwu' sometimes..._

Neo smiled again, and tipped his head back, enjoying the sea breeze.

The door to the deck slowly opened, and Murrue walked out onto the outside. She had been looking for the Colonel, and this was the only place left she hadn't looked. When she saw him, she smiled.

_I'll leave him be, I won't disturb him..._

Turning, she began to tip-toe away, when he called out to her. "Hi. Here, come sit down, it's okay."

Neo had heard the door open, and had smelt the Captain's perfume on the wind. He was happy she had come to see him.

Shyly, the woman walked slowly towards him, and perched on the railing, not too close. The breeze stirred her dark hair, tossing it over her shoulders.

"Are you all right?" she asked quietly, not meeting his gaze. Neo's smile grew. "Yeah. I'm just thinking, that's all. Watching the sky.. and the city...everything's so clear here.."

The Captain leaned forward, and pointed to the mainland. "That's the main street in the city, the one with all the cars. The big building there is a hotel, and there's the airport. And that's Government House.."

Then she gestured behind them, at Onogoro Island. "That's Morgenroete, where all the mobile suits and ships are built and maintained. That's where I work. And that's where I used to live." She pointed at a clifftop, where the rubble of a house stood.

As she spoke, Neo slowly moved closer along the railing to where she sat, the Captain being so enthused by her topic that she never noticed.

Her dark eyes sparkled in the moonlight, and the animated, happy expression on her face made her even more beautiful than normal. He closed his eyes as her scent surrounded him.

_This alone makes staying on this ship worth it..._

The Captain turned around to look back out to sea, and as she did so, she was so close to Neo, that the backs of their hands brushed together. The effect was electric. Both of them sprang apart in shock, standing and facing each other.

At the simple touch, warmth had spread through Neo. He had no idea how to react to something like this, all he could do was look at the deck beneath their feet, heart racing. "Sorry..I'm sorry.."

Murrue's cheeks were flaming hot, she could only guess how red she must be. Her heart was thumping as though she had just run a marathon, and her knees felt like jelly. Why had she reacted like this to something so simple? All that had happened was that their hands had touched, and yet...

_Why am I acting like a teenager on her first date? Sure..he's very handsome, and ..and I do like him..but still..._

Still blushing like mad, Murrue screwed up the courage to lift her head and look at the Colonel. He looked extremely flustered, and his cheeks were pink. Despite her own embarrassment, he looked so...cute, that she couldn't help smiling.

The Colonel laughed nervously, scratching the back of his neck.

Then..he smiled back at her, blue eyes reflecting the darkened sea.

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( Awwww! Lol, I wanted to write a little courtship scene, and I hope I did okay with it. I couldn't help myself..sorry XD

Please read and review! )


	15. Eternity

( Okay. I searched all over the damn place for a decent chronology for GSD, but I could never find one (maybe I looked in the wrong place...) All I could find out was that the Armoury One kerfuffle happened on October 2nd. After that...I have no idea. So I'll pluck a date from the air :plucks: It says 'April'. :nods: Okay, for the benefit of this fic, the war ended in April CE 74. And in the world of my fic, Mwu and Murrue-san married six months after the war, which would have made it October CE 74. So, here we go! )

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The woman smiled at her reflection in the full-length mirror standing in the corner of the bedroom. The reflection smiled back. The mirror image stood there, in a copy of the room, wearing pale pink pyjamas. She looked happy, content with her life, which made the woman's smile increase.

Picking up a photograph from a bookcase, Murrue sat down on the sofa, still facing the mirror. This picture...it was one that had been taken at her wedding, and it had always been one of her favourites. She was standing there, gazing up at her new husband, face alight with happiness, as well as faint wonder that something like that had been able to happen.

_That's true. I never thought that I'd ever see Mwu again, much less become his wife. And it's been ten years now..._

Looking up, Murrue glanced at her reflection in the mirror. Aside from a few little things, she looked much the same as she had all that time ago. Of course, she was older, she could easily see the faint lines around her eyes. And her hair was much longer, reaching halfway down her back. And of course...She smiled, and rubbed her stomach. Her third child was due to be born in two months' time, around Christmas. Stellar and Lily were so excited...

Standing up, Murrue moved across to the closet, studying the clothes that hng within. Today...she needed to wear something special. Because today..today was her anniversary. Today marked ten years since she and her beloved Mwu had been married.

_It feels so strange..like a dream. But I never want to wake up if it is._

Picking out a blue dress (suitable for her size) she slipped into it, and walked to the mirror to braid her hair. Everyone was coming to the house today, for a party, and she had to look the part.

In the garden, fairy lights gently swayed in the tree branches, rocking in the light breeze. Mwu had hung them up there yesterday, and set up the picnic table outside, ready for their guests. Everyone they knew was coming, Kira and Lacus, Athrun, Meyrin, Andrew Bartfeld, Erica..all their friends, the people they had met along the way during the war, and during the last decade.

Murrue sighed in disbelief as she finished her hair. Ten years was a long time. At first, she had been unsure, as to whether she and Mwu had had a solid enough relationship to take a step as big as marriage. But with each day that passed, they had gotten closer...

"Good morning.." came a familiar deep voice from the doorway. Smiling, Murrue turned to face her husband. "Good morning.."

Mwu walked up to her, and enfolded her in a hug, planting little kisses on her cheek.

"So..ten years, huh? Happy anniversary! When would you like your present?"

She blushed, and looked up at him. He too, looked much the same as he had when she had met him, face still as boyish as ever, with only a few faint laughter lines around his eyes. He was even still as childish as ever, always teasing her. But with each little thing that he did, Murrue had found herself falling that bit deeper in love with him.

_He'll never change. And I'd never want him to..._

She stroked his face, giggling when he kissed her fingertips. "No, I can wait. Wait until everyone else has gone. Until we're alone.."

Mwu grinned. "All right then." He bent down and captured her lips in a loving kiss, which she immediately returned.

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That evening, everyone sat around the wooden table outside, the fairy lights twinkling in the trees. The food hadn't taken that long to prepare, as everyone had brought something with them to add to the table. Now, the assembled guests raised their glasses in a toast to the couple.

"Happy anniversary! Here's to the next ten years! Hopefully you'll have less blistering arguments..." joked Kira, clinking his glass with Lacus'. The pink haired woman rebuked him. "Now, now, Kira, they've only ever had one..."

Mwu chuckled. "I'll drink to that.." He touched his glass to his wife's (which was full of fruit juice).

The toast ended, and Lacus brought out a cake from behind her seat, a massive chocolate confection. "Here. Mrs. Yamato and I made it.."

During the course of the evening, Stellar and Lily had been chasing about the garden with Lacus and Kira's son, and Athrun and Meyrin's daughter. But once the cake was served, they ran straight back to the table, Lily climbing on her mother's lap.

"So.." began Athrun. "Are you two up for another ten years?" Murrue smiled, and squeezed Mwu's hand. "Maybe. If I can put up with him for that long..." Her husband pretended to sulk at that, which made everyone laugh.

"Mama, Papa..." Stellar called. Their nine-year-old daughter pulled out a wrapped parcel from under her seat, and brought it to them, giggling. "Here..happy anniversary! Uncle Kira helped usmake it.."

Lily nodded. "Open it!"

Inside was a large framed photograph, taken over ten years ago. The _Archangel_ was clearly visible in the background, and the crew stood in front of the ship, all laughing and waving happily. Mwu and Murrue recognised it as the picture that had been taken when their ship returned to Orb, after the war was over. Kira and Lacus were holding hands, and Mwu and Murrue themselves stood in the centre, arms around each other, happy smiles on their faces.

The couple grinned at the memories, and they pulled their children into hugs. "Thank you so much!"

After the party, (where much was made of the ups and downs the pair had experienced over the last decade, and also of it being Mwu's fortieth birthday in just over a month) Mwu and Murrue sat together on a blanket under a tree, the lights shining through the trees.

"So..ten years. It feels like ten minutes..."

She giggled, nestling her head on Mwu's shoulder. "I know. When we first met, I never once imagined that we'd end up this way. But I'm so happy we did..couldn't imagine my life being any different now."

He kissed her cheek, and pulled her closer. "I just wish that some things had turned out differently. We should have been like this for longer. If I hadn't.."

Murrue placed a finger on his lips, her marigold eyes staring into his blue ones. "Don't. It's okay now. That's the past, and this is the present.."

Nodding, he smiled again. "So, what's been the best thing about the last decade?"

"Apart from being with you?" She pointed up at the house, where the nightlights in the children's bedrooms glimmered through the curtains. "Our children. Watching them grow up, become their own people..it's brought so much happiness I can barely believe it. I always wonder who they'll become...those lives _we_ created." Murrue placed a hand on her distended stomach. "And this little one will be the same.."

Smiling tenderly at his wife, Mwu reached into a pocket and pulled out a small velvet box. "Happy anniversary, princess."

Inside the tiny box sat a silver ring, embedded with tiny stones, emeralds and rubies. Murrue gasped. "It's beautiful!"

Mwu placed it on her left ring finger, above her wedding and engagement rings. "It's an eternity ring. A promise that we'll always be together."

She blushed, a small tear running down her cheek. "Thank you so much.." She handed him a box containing a watch.

"It's not much..but it's more robust than the one you have. You've worn that watch all the years we've been together, so here's a new one. I hope you like it.."

Mwu was delighted. "Awesome!" He put the timepiece on right away, admiring it from all angles. "Thank you.." He kissed her softly, taking his time to show her his gratitude.

Murrue sighed happily when the kiss ended, leaning against him. "So..eternity. How long is that, exactly?"

"As long as we want it to be" he replied quietly. "As long as we want to be together.."


	16. Decisions

The small room was dim and quiet, the door to the outside tightly closed. The room's two occupants, a woman and a man, just stood there, staring at each other silently. They never moved, they never spoke, just gazed at one another, as if trying to work out whether this was real or not. The two had been reunited just a couple of short hours ago, and this was the first time they had been able to be alone together. But now that they were...they didn't know what they should do, should say. Even though their happiness at finally being together again was almost tangible, all they could think of to do was stare.

Finally, she broke the silence. "W-would you like some c-coffee?" she stuttered. Then she could have kicked herself.

_Oh great, the worst cliche EVER._

Taking a deep breath, Murrue looked up at the blonde man standing before her. Mwu didn't answer, but he did nod, his deep blue eyes fixed on her still, which made her blush. Fixing him the coffee, she turned half away, nervously fiddling with her hair.

"I-I'm going to go take a shower..I'll be back in a few minutes..."

As the warm water cascaded down upon her, Murrue took several deep breaths to try and calm her racing heart.

_Why am I so nervous? This is what I wanted, right? For him to be the way he was, for him to be with me again. But..it's been over two years..has it been too long? _Then she smiled, cheeks pinking. _But I know that he'd never hurt me.._

Back in the main part of Murrue's quarters, Mwu leaned against the desk, deep in thought.

_Is this going too quickly? Is this the right thing to do? After what I've done..I'm not sure I even deserve her. I just wonder if we've both changed too much for things to ever be the same as they were before._

_We have all the time in the world now, after all..all the time we need to rediscover each other. If she wants to wait, then I'll wait. This has to be her decision._

Lost in his own thoughts, Mwu never noticed Murrue walk quietly up to him, until she placed a gentle hand on his arm, causing him to jump.

"I'm sorry.." she said softly. Then she noticed the still-full mug of cooling coffee on the desk beside him. "Oh, didn't you want that? I thought that you..you might be thirsty after the battle.." But Mwu wasn't concentrating. Murrue was clad only in a towel and robe, and her dark auburn hair was damp. Her closeness and warmth was driving him crazy, severely hampering his ability to focus on those noble intentions he had decided on previously...

Taking a deep breath, he looked away from her. "Maybe we shouldn't. I mean..things have changed, haven't they? I'm..._we're_ not the same people we were two years ago.."

Murrue only smiled, her hand on his shoulder. "Of course we aren't. People do change, you know.."

Mwu sighed, and glanced up at her. "But I..I did so many..I...was.." She brought him close to her, stroking his hair.

"Ssssh now, don't talk about it. That wasn't you.."

He pulled away from her, standing up and staring at the opposite wall. "But it _was_. It _was_ me!"

Murrue shook her head. "No. **This** is you, the one I'm talking to now. Your heart hasn't changed." She smiled again, suddenly shy.

"Have _I _changed so much in two years, that you don't feel the same way about _me_?"

"Of course not!" Mwu almost shouted. "You're still the same..the same person. I still love you.."

"Well then.." she replied. "you should know how I feel about _you._" She stood on the tips of her toes, and kissed the scar that ran across his nose. "The only differences in you are purely cosmetic."

Mwu reached out and brushed a lock of dark hair behind her ear, grinning when she blushed again. Murrue in turn reached up and stroked his own blonde hair, giggling when he pressed little kisses to her arm. But then..he pulled away.

"I can't. I promised myself that this would be your choice..your decision."

Murrue wrapped her arms around him, staring up into his eyes. "This _is_ my decision. I've been alone for two years..and I don't want to be alone anymore..." She stood on her tiptoes again, and kissed him.

Their kiss was a passionate one, filled with all the love they felt for each other, and all the emotions they had felt over the last two years, each letting the other know through the exchange how it had been without them.

Murrue had realised after he had left her that she loved him more than she had realised. After Jachin Due, she had closed her heart away, partly to avoid falling in love again and perhaps experiencing the pain of loss again. But also..it was because she had wanted to keep Mwu alive in her heart, keeping it only for him.

For Mwu, he had found that while women he had served with in the Earth Alliance had been drawn to him, he had never been interested. Some of them had been very pretty, but still, he had felt nothing. Now he understood why. His heart and body had still remembered this beautiful and perfect woman, and no-one else could have ever compared...

When the kiss was broken, Mwu gently trailed his hands down her shoulders, beginning to remove the robe that she wore, until she stopped him. "You first.." Reaching out, she helped him shed the uniform he wore, before finally letting him remove her robe and towel, the soft material falling to the floor. As they stood before each other, Murrue blushed again, looking away shyly. He just chuckled, lifting her up in his arms and placing her on the bed.

"You're every bit as beautiful as I remember, perhaps even more so. And now, I'm going to kiss every inch of you..."

Giggling, Murrue slowly traced a finger across a scar on his shoulder, feeling the smooth ridged surface of the wound.

"You have so many scars..do they still hurt you?"

Mwu shook his head, laughing as she kissed the scar. "Nah. It's been a long time..they're totally healed now."

Then he began to do as he had said, kissing her neck, and slowly working his way downwards.

As he moved lower on her body, Murrue's dark amber eyes fluttered closed. Then..as he moved lower, those eyes shot open wide, and she gasped. Her cheeks flushed pink, and she grabbed hold of the sheets, breathing becoming faster.

Mwu grinned as he continued his attentions. He knew from experience that it wouldn't take long, he could feel her body quivering. But as the minutes passed, he became confused. Something should have happened by now...

Looking up at her, he noticed that her eyes were shut tight, and the quivering had increased to a shaking. She seemed to be..controlling her reaction.

"What's wrong, sweetheart?" he asked, running a hand gently across her stomach, which made her jerk convulsively.

"Come on..let go. It's okay, I'm right here.."

"But..you're not...not with me, are you?" she gasped. "I don't..want this..not without you..."

Mwu sighed. "It doesn't matter about me. It's my fault you've been alone, I need to make it up to you. So tonight..it's all yours."

"No!" she almost shouted, startling him. "Tonight...is..all _ours_! We're together...again..so we should **be** together..."

Grabbling his arms, Murrue pulled him up the bed until he was right above her. "This is what I want. Didn't I tell you...that I didn't want to be alone anymore? Please.."

Mwu was taken aback by the pleading expression on her face, and realised that she was right.

_Denying myself won't make her happy..I understand that now..._

Closing his eyes, he pushed down, gasping as he did so. As he opened his eyes again, he knew he had made the right decision, as Murrue's almost pained expression had melted into one of pure bliss.

The two of them spent most of that night entwined, moving together, the only sounds to be heard gasps, moans, and cries of passion. Separation had been hard on the both of them, and they felt as though they never wanted to let the other go.

Several hours later, when it was finally over, Murrue lay with her head nestled in that one spot in the crook of Mwu's neck, that one place that cradled her head perfectly, as if it was meant for her. She could hear her lover's breathing, the steady beat of his heart. She could smell his scent, feel his warmth..and felt so happy, she almost couldn't bear it.

A tear rolled down her cheek, followed by another, then another...until she was crying her heart out.

"Hey, hey, what's wrong? Did I hurt you?" Mwu looked so anxious and nervous, afraid that she wasn't happy.

"No, no! It's nothing like that!" Murrue looked up at him, smiling through her tears. "I'm just..so happy! I missed you so much, I've been so lonely...I never imagined anything like this could ever happen again..." She nestled back into his neck, snuggling up closer to him. Mwu grinned, relieved, and began to stroke the back of her neck, lulling her to sleep.

"I've been lonely too..I realise that now. But we never have to feel that way again..."

Noticing that she was now asleep, Mwu kissed the tip of her nose, and closed his eyes, falling asleep himself...

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( Lol! Almost smut, but not quite...

Hope it's not that bad, please read and review! )


	17. One Year Later

The evening breeze blew gently through the open square of the memorial, causing the lone visitor's hair to blow over her shoulders. The place was silent, even more so than usual, even though it was a year after the final battle of the war. But then again, reasoned the visitor, most people who came here, came to pray for those lost at the Battle of Onogoro. Not many visitors here came to remember soldiers who had fallen in battle.

But this place seemed right, as the one the visitor had come to pray for had fought for this country, and it's ideals. He had given his life to protect those ideals, and the ones dear to him. Now, a year after he had sacrificed himself, she came to remember him. Not that she needed this excuse, as she had never once forgotten him...but this seemed right, somehow.

Kneeling down before the memorial, the visitor tucked her long auburn hair behind her ears, and closed her amber eyes. She would have brought a wreath, or at the very least, some flowers, but she didn't know what kind to bring. Plus, he would have laughed at her for it, for being so silly. She could almost hear his laughter, see his blue eyes dancing with merriment.

"_Flowers? What do I need flowers for?_"

Smiling to herself at the thought, the visitor composed a letter in her mind to the one she prayed for.

_Hello, Mwu._

_Well, here we are, one year later. When we first met, who would have ever thought things would turn out this way? Sometimes it doesn't feel real. I was hiding myself, locking my heart away where no-one could ever find it. But you did, easily. And then you stole it. Sometimes I find myself wishing that you hadn't, that you had really left at Alaska. That way, you would have been safe, and my heart would still have been hidden..no, wait. It wouldn't. Because I realised as you left that I loved you, and if you had never come back...I'd have lost you regardless. My heart would have been broken whatever happened..._

_I'm such an idiot. But I couldn't help myself. I didn't want to love again, but at the same time, I did. That might be why I fell for you so easily. I wonder if you're laughing at that, wherever you are. It makes me laugh too, sometimes. I'm glad of that, as it means I can think of you now and smile. Until recently, when I thought of you, I always wanted to cry. I couldn't stop the tears when I imagined the last time Isaw you._

_It was only after I lost you that I realised how deep an impression you had left on my heart. Sometimes, I still find myself thinking 'Mwu would love this' or 'Mwu would do this', as if you were still here...But in a way, I suppose you are. I still remember what you told me, that if something happened to one of us, we would still be alive in the other's heart. Perhaps that's why I still think that way?_

_When you made me fall for you, stole my heart, I wonder if I didn't do the same to you without knowing it. After all, as I got to know you better, I learned how much you kept hidden under that boyish exterior. I learned what kind of life you'd had, and how you hadn't really known what it was like to love someone. What made that hit home for me was the last time we were alone together, the morning of the battle. I kissed you awake, and you smiled and hugged me close, whispering how you wished that could always happen, that I'd be the last one you saw before you fell asleep at night, and the first one you'd see when you awoke in the morning, forever. I didn't answer you, and now I wish that I had. I didn't answer, because I was too afraid to dream of the future, somehow believing that if I did, it would never come to pass, that if I never thought of them, bad things wouldn't happen. But I was wrong._

_Now I wish I'd answered you, answered that that was what I wished for too. Because..it was._

_I never got to let you know how much you'd come to mean to me, about just how much I loved you. Although I'm sure that you knew, just as I knew how you felt, I wanted to tell you...was waiting to tell you, when you returned from the battle. But you never did._

_I guess that I should hate you for that, for breaking your promise, for not giving me the chance to truly express my feelings. But remembering you, how you seemed to always be laughing, how those eyes the colour of the sea reflected everything you felt, how warm it made me feel when you wrapped me in your arms..I can't do it. People say that love and hate are two sides of the same coin, but right now, they feel completely different. I could never hate you._

_I still miss you. I'll always miss you, always love you. After you left me, I froze my heart again, froze it in time. No-one can steal it again, because it still belongs to you._

_One day, we can be together again, but until then, all I can do is dream of you, and wish with all my heart that things could have turned out differently. If I had one wish, it would be that you could be here with me right now, watching the sunset with me. I can almost feel your arms around me, feel your breath warm on my cheek, hear you laugh inside my memories._

_I have to go now..people are waiting for me. __Until we meet again..._

_All my love forever_

_Murrue._

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( Did that turn out all right? I wanted to capture how Murrue-san must have felt a year after Jachin Due, about how lonely she still must have been. Did..did I do okay?

Please read and review, and let me know...)


	18. Heart

The _Archangel_ sailed over the sea, waves crashing against the hull of the stately ship. The wind caused by the ship's movement blew strongly onto the open upper deck, around the woman standing there, making her dark hair stream backwards.

Murrue closed her eyes and smiled, breathing in the scent of the sea, and listening to the cry of the gulls. She had waited so long to be able to come home again, home to Orb. All the fighting to save the country from destruction had been worth it. Opening her eyes again, she could see the distant coastline of her homeland, bathed in the glow of the setting sun. It looked so peaceful, the way it should be...

_We saved it._ Then her smile faded. _But in doing so...we killed many people. People who were only doing as they had been ordered. They believed that what they were doing was right, just as we did. What right did we have to take their lives away?_

Sighing, Murrue slumped against the railing, suddenly overwhelmed with guilt. Logically, she knew that what they had done was right, that a few lives in a battle was little compared to the lives that would have been lost if Requiem had hit Orb. But still...

"What's wrong?"

She didn't even need to turn around to know who was speaking. His deep voice calmed her a little, but didn't ease her guilt.

"Nothing, I'm okay..." She heard him sigh, and he walked up to where she was leaning on the deck railing. She felt the comforting warmth of his hand on her shoulder. "You're not okay, so don't pretend to be. Now, what's wrong?"

Murrue looked up at him finally, into his deep blue eyes. "It's silly really. I was just thinking, did we do the right thing when we saved Orb? I know we had to destroy Requiem, but did we have to kill so many to achieve that?"

Mwu placed his arm around her, and drew her towards him. "We decided that we had to fight. The pink princess tried her best to get them to stop fighting, but they wouldn't. We did what we had to do, so that we would still have a home to go back to. I'm sure that's what they were thinking too."

In spite of her sadness, Murrue smiled. "So Orb is home for you now?"

"Orb is your home, where you live. And as far as I'm concerned, wherever home is for you, it's also home for me. Besides, where else would I go? Do you want me to leave?"

She giggled, and laid her head on his shoulder. "Of course not. You know how I feel about that... It was just that...we can go home, but those people we fought can never have that. And I didn't even want to fight them..."

Mwu kissed the crown of her head, breathing in the scent of her dark auburn hair. "This is about _Minerva_, isn't it?" He understood that the ZAFT captain and Murrue had met before the war restarted, and that Murrue had liked the other woman very much. He also knew how guilty she felt at what _Archangel_ had done to that other woman's ship.

Murrue sighed again. "I just wish that circumstances had been different, that I wouldn't have had to fight Captain Gladys. I think..she could have been my friend. Athrun-kun told me a little about her, and he said that she and I were very similar, that the goals we fought for were the same. Now I really wish I could have gotten to know her better..but I never had that chance. And I had to take out her ship if we were to survive. But..but I didn't want to do it! I wonder..if she blames me for it all..."

The blonde man was silent, holding her tightly. Then he spoke.

"I'm sure that she doesn't. If the two of you are as similar as you say, then think about how you would have felt if the situations had been reversed. Would you have blamed her for doing what she felt she had to?"

Murrue shook her head. "No. Because I could have understood why she did it."

"Well then, what's the use in blaming yourself?"

The sad tone in her lover's voice caused Murrue to look up. "Do you blame yourself? For the things you did while you were with the Earth Alliance? You've never told me what happened to you in those two years..is it that bad?"

He closed his eyes, his expression one of pain. "Anyone would blame themselves if they had done the things I did. I've never told you about them..because I don't want to think about them. If I told you..you'd hate me. And although I'd deserve it..I couldn't bear for that to happen. So..."

She stroked his face, and kissed him lightly. "I could never hate you. Whatever you did..you were ordered to do. I'm sure that you didn't really want to do those things...And whatever it is you've done..you don't have to tell me about. But I forgive you anyway."

Mwu blinked, and looked down at her in wonder. "How can you forgive me so easily when you don't know the things I did?"

Murrue smiled, the beauty of that smile easing some of the pain in his heart. "Because I love you. Loving someone means you trust them completely, and are able to find it in yourself to forgive them for anything. I know that I love you, and that you didn't want to do whatever it is you did. That's why I can forgive you. And I'm sure..that all your friends would too."

He pulled her into his arms, kissing her cheek as he laid his head on her own shoulder. He wasn't able to say anything, only marvel at the size and depth of this woman's heart. She had no inkling of the terrible crimes he had committed, some of which were so bad he still had nightmares about them. But yet...she forgave him for them.

_Perhaps if she can forgive me...one day I can forgive myself..._

The sun had almost reached beyond the western horizon, and on some unspoken agreement, the couple turned around to watch the last rays disappearing. Murrue sighed, and rested her head on his chest.

"This was my wish.." she whispered. "A year after Jachin Due...my one wish was for us to be able to stand and watch the sunset together. It was only a dream then, but now it's reality. All I wanted then was for you to be with me. That's another reason why I can forgive you. Because you're here with me now, and I don't want to let you go."

"Well" he breathed in her ear. "now we can watch every sunset together..."

The two of them had found forgiveness for their actions in each other's hearts. Mwu understood why Murrue had been so sad about the things she had done in the war, and had reassured her that no-one blamed her for them.

Murrue in turn, even though she didn't know what Mwu had done in the previous two years, had reassured _him_ that no-one would blame him for them, and that whatever his actions, she still loved him.

This confession, understanding and affection had strengthened the pair's bond even more, and now they were even more sure that wherever life took them, they would go there together.

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( Was that too weird? I have no idea where this idea came from...I just thought that Murrue-san would feel guilty about what had happened to Talia-san, and blame herself for it. And of course, Mwu must blame himself for the things he did while being Djibril's fighting doll, and wonder if anyone could ever forgive him. But I'm sure...that Murrue-san could.

Please read and review...)


	19. Day Off

( Okay, here we have a family story. I love writing these. Note: The italics? Those are Stellar's thoughts. )

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"Awwww, do you really have to work today?" Mwu looked up at his wife from his vantage point on the sofa. His expression was exactly like that of a little kid who couldn't get what he wanted. Murrue sighed as she peered at her reflection in the living room mirror, applying make-up. "Yes, I really have to work today. Just because you have the day off today doesn't mean I can just suddenly decide to do the same..."

"But you want to, don't you?" he asked, grinning boyishly. He stood up and made his way over to where she stood, slipping his arms around her. Murrue could see his reflection in the mirror, his face nuzzling into her neck. "C'mon.."

"Mwu, I'm serious. I have to go. Give Stellar a kiss for me, okay?"

Mwu didn't move. "The munchkin sure would be happy if we could both stay here with her today..."

The auburn-haired woman finally managed to push her husband away. "I'll be home this afternoon. And she'll be happy enough with you here. She loves Lacus-san and Kira-kun, but she'll be so pleased that you're staying home.."

Mwu pouted, but nodded, snuggling up to her again. "Okay, honey, if you say so. As long as you really _are_ home this afternoon and don't get stuck doing paperwork again. All right?"

Turning around in his arms, Murrue kissed him lightly. "I'll see you later. Have fun!" She picked up her bag and red Morgenroete jacket, blew him one last kiss, and then was gone.

After Murrue had driven to work, Mwu made his way upstairs. Sticking his head around the door of the room closest to his own, he smiled. The pink-hued room was a mess, toys and clothes strewn all over the floor, and the sheets were so rumpled he could hardly make out the tiny figure in the bed. Stepping into the room, he saw her. His daughter was fast asleep on her back, dark hair almost covering her face. Stellar clutched a teddy bear in one hand, which slipped to the floor as Mwu carefully sat down on the little bed, not wanting to wake her.

But he should have known better. As soon as the bed shifted under his weight, the little girl's blue eyes opened. Blinking sleepily, Stellar's face lit up as she saw who was there. "Papa!" She clambered out from under the bedsheets, and jumped on her father, giggling in delight. "Are we staying home today?" Mwu sat her on his lap, and smiled. "We sure are."

The five-year-old beamed. "Yay!" Then she looked thoughtful. "Is Mama staying home too?"

Mwu shook his head. "Sorry, sweetie. Mama has to work today. But she'll be home real soon, okay?"

Stellar looked sad, but nodded. "That's too bad..poor Mama..."

Mwu smiled, and kissed the tip of the little girl's nose. "She'll be all right. She wanted to stay home, but she might get in trouble if she did. Now, it's breakfast time. If you get dressed, I'll go get it ready." Placing Stellar back on her bed, he went downstairs to fix some cereal.

When the girl ran downstairs, clad in a pink T-shirt and a pair of shorts, she eagerly climbed up onto her chair at the kitchen table and dug into the bowl of Cheerios that sat waiting for her.

"Hey, slow down! You need to brush your hair!" her father scolded gently. Stellar just grinned cheekily. "I will when I finish.."

Eating his toast, Mwu unfolded his newspaper, peeking over the top of the pages at his daughter. She noticed him watching, and stuck her tongue out. Mwu was surprised, but quickly regained his composure, sticking his own tongue out.

_I'm so happy Papa can stay home today! I wonder if he has any work to do? Cause sometimes, when he has, he forgets to do it, and Mama gets mad at him. But I think she only pretends to be mad..._

_I wish Mama could be home too. She has work too, and she always remembers to finish it. When she stays home and does her work, she lets me play with the stuff on her desk. Mama has lots of pretty things on her desk, like a picture of her and Papa when they got married, and a model of the big spaceship she used to fly on. She says that's where she met Papa._

_Sometimes she works outside if it isn't windy, and I can play with my dollies on the grass in the garden. And when she's finished we always do fun stuff like go shopping, or bake cookies. Mama's cookies are the best, even better than the ones Auntie Lacus makes!_

_But when Papa's home, we do silly things, like play hide-and-seek, or play with his train set. And he shows me how to make paper aeroplanes, and plant flowers. He says that there's a flower the same colour as Mama's eyes, and one day he'll plant them all over the garden, just for her. Papa always has a happy smile on his face when he talks about Mama..._

Later that morning, Mwu and Stellar were curled up on the big comfy sofa in the big bedroom, watching cartoons, when Stellar suddenly sat up. "Oh, I found something in Mama's desk the other day. I didn't know what it was of, and I didn't ask her...'cause I think she'd have been mad." The little girl jumped off the sofa and ran to her room, returning a few moments later with what looked like two photographs. One photo was of a little girl on a swing. At first, Mwu thought the picture was of Stellar. But then...the picture looked pretty old, and they didn't have a swing in their garden. And the little girl's eyes..were marigold.

_Murrue..._

The little Murrue looked just the same, a tiny version of the woman Mwu knew and loved so well. She looked so happy, smiling up at the one who took the picture.

"That little girl..she looks just like me. Who is she, Papa?" His daughter's voice broke Mwu from his daydream. Looking down at the tiny girl, he smiled. "That's Mama. Mama when she was about the same age as you are now. You really do look just like her...What else you got there, sweetie?"

"I found this in a blue book in the bottom drawer. There were lots of other pictures in there that I didn't understand, but I found this one in the middle." She held out a photograph..that Mwu had thought he'd never see again. The photograph of a younger version of himself, sitting on his father's shoulders.

"Who's the boy, Papa. Is he you?"

"Yeah" Mwu sighed. "That's me." Stellar cocked her head to one side. "Then who's that?" A little finger pointed at the one who carried the young Mwu.

"That's my papa. Your grandpa." The girl's face lit up. "My grandpa? Really? Where does he live? Can we go see him?"

Mwu pulled his daughter close. "Grandpa's too far away to go visit. It's the same with my mama, as well as Mama's parents. They all live too far away, and we can't see them." Stellar's face fell. "Awww..."

Mwu closed his blue eyes for a moment, thinking. Even if his father had still been alive, there was no way he'd have ever taken his wife and daughter to visit someone like that. His father would probably have insulted Murrue, and as for Stellar..well, if Mwu had never been good enough to be Al Da Fllaga's son, there was no way his father would have thought Stellar was good enough to be his granddaughter, even though the five-year-old girl was far smarter than Mwu himself had been at that age.

He couldn't bear the idea of her being called 'useless' or 'an idiot' like he himself had been. It was one thing when those kind of comments were directed at him, but his little girl..no way.

Mwu adored his daughter. When he had found out two months after their wedding that Murrue was pregnant, he'd been over the moon. He'd always wanted a real family, children of his own. Sure, it had been an odd ambition, but once he'd come to learn that he could have something like that, the wish had been even greater. To see what a true family was like, to see what a happy childhood was like, through the eyes of his own child...

"Papa? Are you okay?" Stellar's wide, innocent blue eyes stared up at him, full of confusion and concern. The worried look on her face made her look identical to her mother when she thought something was wrong. Mwu forced himself to smile, and ruffled the little girl's auburn hair. "Yeah, princess, I'm fine. Just thinking.." He wrapped the child in a hug, his smile becoming genuine as Stellar snuggled up to him. "Love you, sweetie.." Stellar gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Love you too, Papa."

_I wonder why Papa looked so sad when I asked him about Grandpa? Maybe it's 'cause he lives so far away Papa can't see him? But when I asked what Grandpa was like, Papa looked even sadder, and said that he was a bad person._

_How can a papa be a bad person? My papa is so nice always. He always hugs me and plays games, and his face tickles me when he kisses me and he forgot to shave. He always makes Mama jump by sneaking up on her and hugging her, and he kisses her a lot too. Sometimes she calls him silly and pushes him away, but she always smiles, and her cheeks go pink. _

For lunch, the two made pizza faces. Mwu baked the flat pizza bases, and pulled out all kinds of things to use for the faces, like spaghetti, cheese and tomatoes. Stellar stood on a chair, face intent as she added strands of spaghetti to the floury dough, as well as tomato eyes, and a smile made from cheese. When she was finished, she looked up at Mwu in delight.

"Lookie! I made Mama's face!" The blonde man grinned as he saw the spaghetti was meant to be hair. "She looks happy, huh?"

"Sure she does" chirped the girl. "I love Mama best when she's all happy and smiling!"

"Is that right?" asked a soft voice from the doorway. Both Stellar and Mwu whirled around to see Murrue standing there, bag slung over one shoulder, and a small paper sack in her hand. And just like her replica, she was smiling, dark hair blowing in the breeze.

"Mama!" squealed Stellar, jumping from her chair and racing to the door. The woman's smile broadened, and she set down the bags she carried, hugging the little girl and lifting her into her arms.

"How was your day with Papa?" Murrue asked, giggling as Stellar kissed her on the cheek, getting flour all over her.

"It was fun! But next time, can you stay home too, so we can all be here?"

Mwu chuckled at that. "I didn't say anything, honest." Crossing the floor, he wrapped an arm around his wife's waist, drawing her close for a soft kiss. "How was your day?" Murrue rolled her eyes, and made her way into the living room, still carrying her daughter.

"It passed..."

The little family sat there together on the sofa, eating the pizza faces Mwu and Stellar had made, Murrue snuggled up to her husband. After lunch, Murrue opened the little paper bag she had brought home, revealing donuts.

Soon, the sofa was covered in powdered sugar and sticky jam fingerprints, only about half of them from Stellar.

"Look at the pair of you.." sighed Murrue, shaking her head at the sight of her husband and daughter grinning from ear-to-ear, faces smeared with strawberry jam. Mwu just grinned, and grabbed her by the waist, planting a sticky kiss on her cheek, laughing when she squealed and tried to escape.

"We should spend more days like this..."

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( Lol. That was fun to write. I still don't know where I came up with half of the ideas for this, but I hope you all like it.

Please read and review! )


	20. Jealousy

The sun had set, and darkness had descended over Orb. The _Archangel_ sat silently in dry dock, mostly empty of all crew, who had gone ashore to help out with the aftermath of the battle that had ended just a few short hours ago. The corridors were quiet, the silence only broken by the footsteps of two people. Slowly, they walked side-by-side towards their destination, not speaking much, or looking at each other. Neo glanced around him at the ship as he walked, hands in his pockets. He had no clue where the Captain was taking him, only that she had asked him to follow her.

Along the way, she had pointed out various important places on the ship, like the bridge and the mess hall and told him stories about what _Archangel_ had done during this war and the last. When they had passed a bare stretch of corridor with only one door, Neo had been confused, and had asked what that room was. The Captain had only looked down, pink appearing on her cheeks, and muttered a reply.

"The bath.."

_A bath? Here? What kind of ship **is** this?_

On the other hand, though...it might turn out to be a good thing. One day, perhaps he might be able to take a bath with _her_. Neo could just imagine how beautiful she'd look, and he'd smiled to himself at the thought. One day, just maybe...

So lost in his daydream was he, he never noticed that the Captain had stopped outside a room just ahead, and he almost walked past her. She smiled a little, and beckoned him inside. "Come on, in here.."

It seemed to be some kind of supply room, with boxes and cupboards everywhere. The Captain walked to a cabinet, and pulled open a drawer. Inside lay Orb military uniforms, jackets, undershirts, trousers, all kinds of garments, odds and ends.

"What's this for?"

The Captain raised an eyebrow. "You asked to stay here, right? As part of this crew?"

Neo nodded, still not understanding. _Because I wanted to stay with you..._

"Well," continued the woman, tugging out clothing from the drawer, "if you're going to be a crewmember, then you need one of our uniforms. You can't really wear that, now can you?"

Neo blinked, and glanced down at himself. He was still wearing his old black EA uniform, and compared to the bright white and blue clothing of the others, looked out of place and rather forbidding.

"Guess you're right.."

Searching through the piles of standard-issue clothing, Murrue picked out a jacket that should fit someone the Colonel's size quite nicely. Even the rank was right.

_I guess this must have been here for Commander Bartfeld, but I don't think he'll be needing it now. It should do perfectly._

Rooting out a pair of trousers, and a purple undershirt, Murrue folded them up, unconciously humming to herself. All of a sudden, she heard a very familiar chuckle. _Mwu?_

Looking up, Murrue saw that the Colonel was leaning against the door frame, blue eyes twinkling. His scarred face wore a broad smile. "Do you always do that?"

Murrue pushed a lock of auburn hair from her face. "Do what?"

"Hum to yourself. It's kinda cute."

The brunette flushed pink, and looked away. "Sometimes..when I'm concentrating. But it's not cute..."

He laughed again, the sound echoing through her memories. "Sure it is."

Standing up, she handed the tall man the pile of clothing, not meeting his eyes. "Here you go. You still need boots though.."

After the Colonel had found a pair of boots to fit him, Murrue led him back through the ship. She was a little unnerved about the way he was acting now. The man she had met in sickbay a few weeks ago had been surly, uncooperative, and rude, nothing like the man he so resembled. But now...he was so different. He was...so like Mwu.

_But he isn't my Mwu. I have to remember that. No matter how much he looks and acts like him, it's not him._

_I think that..the Colonel will make a good addition to the crew, a dependable friend. But..that's all._

_I can't get too close...I can't fall for him like I did Mwu. Never again._

"Are you okay, Captain?"

Startled, Murrue looked up. The Colonel was peering down at her, concern written all over his handsome face. He was so close..she could feel her cheeks heat up again. "Uhh...yeah, I'm fine. Sorry.."

"So where are we going?"

She smiled. "The deck below the bridge" she replied, leading him into the elevator.

This deck held the officers' quarters. It was mainly unoccupied, given that Murrue was really the only officer on board ship except for Kira.

"Here. You need a place to stay." She waved a thin hand up the corridor. "Almost all of these rooms are empty. Pick one."

The Colonel pressed a finger to his chin, thinking. Then he set off up the hallway, stopping outside a room diagonally opposite her own. Placing a hand on the door, he muttered "This one" His cobalt eyes were almost blank, as if he wasn't sure where he was or what he was doing.

Murrue felt icy-cold. The room he had chosen..without knowing..._Mwu's room..._

Colonel Lorrnoke turned to her, eyes still faraway. "Can I have this room?"

Neo had no idea why he'd been drawn to this particular room. It was no different from any of the others, but for some reason, this one felt...right. The Captain looked troubled, and sad, but she nodded. "Yes, you can have that one.."

She tapped in a code (and it looked as if she'd done that many times before) and the metal door swished open. The room beyond was dark and quiet, with dust everywhere. Stepping inside, Neo turned back in surprise when the Captain didn't follow him.

"What is it?" The woman's beautiful face was pinched, as if she was trying hard not to cry. Neo's heart twinged at the sight of her in so much pain. "What's the matter?"

The Captain didn't answer, just forced herself to smile, and stepped back. "I have to go now. I'll..be back soon." The door closed behind her, leaving Neo alone in the dim room.

After changing into the new uniform, he satdown on the bed,running a hand through his long blonde hair. He had no idea whythe Captain had suddenly reacted like that. This room was pretty nice actually, it felt comforting almost, much like his old room on the _Girty Lue._ It was empty, the surfaces dusty, but this room felt like...it was _waiting_ for someone.

"That's stupid" Neo told himself. "How can a room wait?"

Peeking under the bed, he blinked in surprise. There were things stuffed under here, magazines, what looked like a cookie wrapper, even an old sock.

_This room...**belonged** to someone?..._

As Neo felt around amidst the debris under the bed, his fingers came across something hard..like a book or something. Pulling it out, he saw that it was a photograph in a home-made frame. The photo was of...he gasped, and almost dropped it.

The subject of the picture was easily recognisable. It was the Captain. She was clad in the uniform of an Earth Alliance Lieutenant, which surprised Neo.

_Why is she wearing something like that?_

But that wasn't what caught his attention the most. It was the fact that the Captain was smiling, truly smiling, her happiness clearly evident. Those beautiful eyes of hers were dancing, full of joy...and...love.

_Who is she looking at? The person this room belonged to?_

Neo felt another twinge in his heart. Whoever she was looking at, she had obviously adored, and Neo couldn't help but be jealous. He wished she would smile at **him** like that...

Flipping the picture over, he caught sight of words on the back of the frame.

**Murrue, Mendel, 08-25-71**

So this had been taken over two years ago. Wasn't that..when _he_ had been here? The one he had so often been compared to? That Mwu? Was he...the one she was looking at? Jealousy stabbed at him again.

_It felt wonderful when I held her in my arms up on deck. She was so warm and soft...I wanted nothing more than to stay like that forever. But now..now I want her to look at **me** like this. I want her to love me._

_Because I..._

He smiled. He was falling for her, or perhaps he'd already fallen. Who wouldn't? Maybe that was why he'd come back, because he didn't want to leave her..because she was someone he could love.

Then it hit him. That was why she'd been sad..and that was why he'd found the picture. This room..the one he'd been drawn to...had belonged to Mwu. No wonder she hadn't wanted to come inside...

Murrue lay on her bed, tears running down her face. After all her resolutions to not think of the Colonel as Mwu, after all her promises to herself she would never cry again...this was how she'd ended up. She'd broken both of them.

_That room...why did he have to choose that room? It still...it still..._She buried her face in the pillow, crying harder.

The room still smelt of _him_..the scent she remembered so well. The memories it had evoked were almost too much to bear..and she had fled to her room, not wanting the pain the memories brought with them.

_Mwu..._

A soft knock at her door shook her from her self-pity. "Captain? Captain, are you all right?" It was him..the Colonel.

Doing her best to wipe the tears from her eyes, Murrue opened the door. "How..how did you know this was my room?"

He smiled a little. "I heard you crying...I'm sorry."

She sniffled. "For what?"

"For choosing that room. For reminding you so much of him. For..for making you cry."

Murrue shook her head. "No..no it's all right. I'm just being silly. It shouldn't hurt so much after all this time..."

"Why not?" he asked gently, blue eyes softening. "Why shouldn't it hurt?"

She looked up at him, tears building in her eyes again. Without even thinking, she collapsed against his chest, crying her heart out.

Neo held the Captain in his arms, smiling at the warmth and feel of her. To care for and comfort her like this...it was much better than he'd hoped. Now...getting her to love him didn't matter. Sure, he loved _her_, he knew that now. But whether she felt the same was wasn't important. He would be there for her, be her friend, someone she could rely on. And if one day, she returned his feelings, then that would be wonderful.

Finally, the Captain stopped crying, and smiled up at him. "Thank you..."

"Ah, no problem" he replied, grinning back.

Pulling away, she gestured down the corridor. "Well then, come on."

"Come on what?"

She laughed a little, the sparkle returning to her eyes. "Time to get your hair cut."

"Huh?"


	21. A Brighter Day

This day had been the longest she had remembered. And nothing had gone right from start to finish. First, she had been late for her shift, then she'd been practically buried under a mound of paperwork the rest of the day. She'd had no time for lunch, no time to even take a coffee break, and as a result, was fractious and tired. When this shift from hell finally ended, Murrue floated down the corridor to her room, wanting nothing more than a shower, food, and bed. But the closer she got to her room, the more she just wanted someone to talk to. All day, the only time she'd seen another person was when someone wanted her to sign something. She needed company.

_I want someone...to fuss over me, to just give me a hug and help me relax. And I know just the person._

Moving across to the door diagonally opposite her own, Murrue tapped in the by-now familiar code, and stepped inside, without even knocking.

Mwu had been laying back on his bed, reading. His day had been pretty quiet, and rather boring. Just maintenance on Strike, helping out with supply reports, and that had been...well, it. He had heard through the grapevine that Murrue had been having a terrible day, and he had badly wanted to visit her, but he hadn't been able to get away. When his door opened, he was surprised, but smiled as he saw who his unexpected guest was. Unexpected, but always welcome. "Hi!"

Murrue didn't answer, just crossed the room to where he waited. She looked exhausted, her face pale. Without a word, she practically collapsed onto the bed beside him.

Mwu reached out and stroked her hair. "Hard day, huh?" She murmured something he couldn't make out, and snuggled up close to him, resting her head on his chest and closing her eyes. He chuckled, closing his own eyes as he ran his hands up and down her back, soothing her, his book long forgotten.

After a while, she looked up, dark eyes meeting his blue ones. "S-sorry about that" she muttered, cheeks pinking in embarrassment. Mwu smiled. "It's okay. I'm glad I could help. Do you feel better now?" Murrue nodded, and moved off the bed, straightening her uniform.

"Thank you. Sorry for coming in here like that. I have to..go take a shower now."

Mwu reached out and took her hand, rubbing her fingers gently. "Take one here. It's all right, you don't have to leave just yet. I'll even wash your back if you like."

She blushed again, smiling. "And do you promise that that's all you'll do?"

He looked at her in surprise, face innocent. "Why, did you have something else in mind, Captain?"

Murrue never answered, just disappeared into the tiny bathroom, his laughter echoing in her ears.

After her shower (where Mwu really did only wash her back, to her hidden disappointment), the couple sat together on his bed, Murrue sitting in between his legs, her head on his shoulder. His strong arms were wrapped tightly around her.

Murrue sighed happily, her fatigue and annoyance of earlier completely gone now. Mwu always had the ability to make her worries disappear, to make her feel better. He leaned forward and kissed her lightly on the cheek. "Wanna stay here tonight?"

She smiled. "I'd like that very much. I wonder how it is that I always feel better being with you?"

Mwu laughed softly. "Well, if my presence with you makes you as happy as yours does with me, it's no wonder. 'Cause whenever I've had a tough day, all I need to know to feel more cheerful is that I can see you." He nuzzled into her neck, kissing the smooth skin. "And I've asked you a dozen times by now, to move into this room, to come and live here with me. I'm sure we'd be happy together, and that way we know that however bad a day we've had, the other will be here waiting."

Murrue flushed. "I said that I'd think about it, and I still am. I'm just worried...what people would say if we took that step...and everyone would find out about us..."

He kissed her again. "Everyone already knows about us. You thought we'd be able to keep something like this a secret for long? I'm not giving up..not until you agree. I'll have to persuade you. And.." he caught her chin gently in his hand, and brought her lips closer to his. "...I have very..._unique_..methods of persuasion.." His hand moved up, slipping underneath the camisole top she wore, and his bare feet caressed a slender leg. Murrue giggled as he bent and kissed her, falling backwards onto the bed.

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"Did I persuade you yet?"

Murrue looked down at where her lover was lying, his hand playing with the ends of her dark auburn hair. "Maybe" she replied softly, a sly smile on her face. Wrapping the bedsheet more tightly around her, she kissed the tip of his nose.

Mwu grinned. "I'm getting closer..." He sighed. "I just thought how nice it could be if we could be together like this for always. That's what I'd like most when the war is over."

Murrue lay back beside him, looking up at the ceiling. "That does sound nice. But don't you think we'd get sick of each other eventually?"

He laughed. "Do you really think so?" Her giggle blended with his own boyish laughter, and he turned his head to gaze upon her beauty. _How could I ever get sick of you?_

"Don't you think," he asked quietly, "that if you loved someone with all your heart, you'd want to spend as much time with them as possible? Would you get sick of them?"

Murrue snuggled close, her head on his shoulder. "No..." she whispered.

Then her stomach rumbled.

The young woman's cheeks flushed brilliant crimson, and she hid her face under the bedsheets, mortified. Mwu tipped his head back and laughed till he was almost crying. "Talk about breaking the mood! Guess you didn't have time to eat, either?"

She shook her head, face not visible. Wiping the tears of mirth from his blue eyes, the blonde man rooted under his bed, until he found what he was looking for. He offered the package to Murrue. "Cookie?"

Gratefully, she reached out a delicate hand and took one of the double choc-chip treats. "Thanks. And..sorry."

He waved a hand. "Don't worry about it." Eating one of the cookies himself, he searched under the bed again, and fished out a black boxy object. "Sorry to spring this on you, but can I take your picture? I wanted to get one of us together, but I really want one of you.."

She blushed again, colouring a pretty pink. "W-wait! N-not like this!" She gestured to herself, indicating the fact that she wore only a bedsheet. Grabbing her uniform jacket from the floor, she quickly donned it and zipped it up.

"Why so shy? It's not like I'd show anyone else it anyway.." Aiming the camera, Mwu snapped a photograph. The image came out perfectly, her smile beautiful to see. And her eyes..they shone with such complete and pure love and happiness, it made Mwu's heart melt to see it.

_She's smiling like that..at me. Just for me..._

"There we are..a picture of an angel.." he said quietly, tucking the photo into a drawer. "Thanks, Murrue. It means a lot to me."

His lover had removed her jacket, and she had nestled into his shoulder, amber eyes closed. As they lay there together, drowsy, Mwu frowned. Rolling over, he instead laid his head on _her_ shoulder. "Can't I snuggle up to you for a change? It's not fair.."

But it was rather uncomfortable. Murrue's shoulder was as slender as the rest of her, and didn't make a very good sleeping place.

She smiled, and stroked his cheek. "Not working out, huh?"

Grumbling, he moved downwards until his blonde head rested on her chest. He then sighed with happiness. "This is much better. Like a pillow. Can I sleep here?" Mwu felt her shaking with laughter, and a kiss on the top of his head. "Sure you can"

Her scent and warmth enveloped him, the sound of her heartbeat lulling him to sleep. "Can we stay like this forever?"

Murrue's hands gently stroked his golden hair. "We'd have to get up eventually..."

"You know what I mean.." he muttered, nuzzling closer.

"Yes, I know what you mean. And that would be nice."

"I still want you to move in with me.."

She laughed again, and he felt another soft kiss. "Goodnight, Mwu. Love you.."

He smiled, closing his eyes. "Love you too..."

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( Hurray for teh random fluff!

Please read and review! )


	22. A Different Tomorrow

( This is AU again, and even more AU than my other offerings XD. Hope you like it! )

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The battle of Jachin Due raged on, space itself seeming to explode with the amount of firepower being exchanged. A lone mobile suit was flying away from the terror of the battlefield, to a large white ship just behind the front lines. Strike was heavily damaged, missing an arm and leg, and most of the flight pack. All the pilot wanted right now was to make it back to the _Archangel_, change to the Moebius Zero, and get back out there. Klueze wasn't going to get away that easily...

Of course, Mwu knew that he had been injured, probably quite badly, but he wouldn't let that stop him.

As Strike neared the space where his ship waited, Mwu saw that they were still in battle with the Earth Alliance ship _Dominion_. The _Archangel_'s sister ship hung there malevolently, like a huge black spider stalking it's prey. It didn't look to be doing very much, in fact, the two ships seemed to be just...waiting. Then, slowly, the _Dominion_'s 'leg' opened...and the air shimmered before it. Mwu felt a finger of ice travel down his spine. The Lohengrin. And _Archangel_ hadn't noticed...

He kicked the Strike's verniers onto full, ignoring thewhine of the already overtaxed engines, and boosted toward _Dominion_ as fast as he could go. Mwu knew that if that thing fired and hit the _Archangel_, his ship would disintegrate, be blown to smithereens. He had to do something, anything. Checking the weapon situation, he scowled, a bead of sweat travelling down his face. Beam sabers were all he had left, but for what he needed to use them for, they would be enough.

_I won't let you do it! I have to make it in time! I have to protect them. Protect **her**..._

A split-second before the positron cannon fired it's deadly shot, Strike's beam saber skewered through it, the chain reaction it caused destroying the cannon completely. The resulting shockwave knocked the already-damaged Strike backwards, the mobile suit flying several metres from the ship.

Murrue looked up in surprise at Neumann's alarmed shout. _Dominion.._Natarle...had been about to fire on them, she managed to work out. But something had taken out the Lohengrin before it could fire...what had it been?

"Captain! I'm getting Strike's signal!" called Miriallia from the CIC. "It's heavily damaged, but on it's way back!"

Murrue gasped. Was Mwu all right? Then it hit her. The _Dominion..._

_Did **he** do that? Did he see what we missed..and save us all?_

Her heart swelled with love and pride. Her Mwu..he had saved them. Saved her. Her smile grew, but then disappeared. Now wasn't the time for that. She still had to fight, after all.

"Fire the Gottfried..take out their other weapons!"

The green flash of the Gottfried shot through space and struck the other ship, vapourising the enemy weaponry. The other Lohengrin, the other Gottfrieds...they all disappeared. Mwu smiled to himself as Strike moved towards the open docking bay of _Archangel._

"Way to go, Murrue.." he murmured, suddenly feeling very tired.

Murrue wasn't sure why that had been so easy, exactly. Surely there must have been _some_ crew aboard the other ship, if not, who had tried to fire the Lohengrin? So why..why hadn't they tried to dodge?

"Miriallia-san..put me through to the _Dominion,_ please..."

Natarle looked up through a haze of pain. Captain Ramius' face had appeared on the bridge viewscreen, her face stern.

"Surrender. You have no reason to fight anymore..and no way to win."

Despite the pain her gunshot wounds caused her, Natarle smiled a little at Azrael's reaction. He was frozen, the gun slipping from his limp fingers. His eyes were wide in shock, the realisation that he had **lost**.

As he opened his mouth to speak, his expression suddenly became blank, the echo of the gunshot ringing around the deserted bridge of the _Dominion_.

"I won't...I won't be used...anymore.." Natarle gasped, the gun he had dropped held in her own hands. She looked up at Captain Ramius, her violet eyes fluttering closed. "I'm..sorry. This ship..is yours now.." The gun fell from her hands, the woman passing out from her injuries.

Murrue leaned forward in her seat. "Natarle!"

In the hangar bay, Strike finally landed, the mobile suit falling to it's knees as if exhausted. Mwu climbed out of the crippled suit, floating to the deck, all for getting in the Zero and going back out into battle. But as soon as his feet hit the deck, he collapsed to his knees, much like the Strike, his exhaustion and injuries finally catching up with him. As he fell forward, Mwu was vaguely aware of people shouting, running towards him, but the world grew black, and that was the last he knew.

Meanwhile, one of _Archangel_'s small boats flew out toward the silent _Dominion. _Even though the ship was still in a combat situation, the crippled enemy vessel was now no more than a sitting duck. They couldn't just leave Natarle there, after all, so they brought her back to be treated, back..home. After that, Murrue ordered both Lohengrins to be fired at _Dominion,_ fragmenting the ship, so it could never be used again.

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The battle was over. The war was over. Jachin Due had self-destructed, GENESIS being destroyed at the same time due to the sacrifice of Justice. Raww Le Klueze was dead, Providence being no match for the final death throes of Patrick Zala's insane dream. All was..somehow right with the world, as if things had been reset with the colossal explosion. Of course, those aboard the ships of the Orb Union and Clyne Faction knew that things could never again be the same as they had been, but hopefully, this new world would be a better one for all of mankind.

_Archangel_'s sickbay was unusually quiet. Of course, many crewmembers had been injured in the battle, burns, cuts, scrapes. And...people had died. But sickbay was a place for the living, and that's where Murrue headed when the battle was over. She practically_ ran_ there, heart racing.

_They told me he'd passed out..that he was injured. I hope he's all right..._

When the door hissed open, Murrue couldn't help laughing, both with amusement and relief. He was there, and he was just fine. Sure, he was bandaged up pretty tightly, but he was wide awake reading a magazine, slumped in bed. And he looked bored out of his mind.

Tears built up in Murrue's eyes. She could so easily have lost him, she realised that now. She could have lost him to the war, just as she had feared. She had kept that anxiety under control during the battle, she had had no choice, but now..the tears fell, the drops running down her cheeks. A choked sob escaped her, and Mwu looked up from the magazine in surprise.

"Oh, hi! I've been waiting for you.."

Getting out of the hospital bed with slight difficulty, stiff due to the injuries he had recieved, he held his arms out, smiling. Murrue sobbed once more, and ran into his waiting embrace, her tears soaking the bandages as she was held close to his chest.

"T-thank you..you kept your promise..and y-you saved us..."

Mwu laughed softly, and ruffled her dark hair. "Well, I had to, didn't I? What would I have done if you weren't here waiting for me when I got back? I couldn't imagine a world without you in it, you see..."

Murrue's marigold eyes widened, and she hugged him so tightly he could hardly breathe. "I-I love you, Mwu.." she whispered, more tears disappearing into the white linen.

"I love you too.." he replied. "See, dreaming of the future isn't such a bad thing, huh? Now we don't have to fight, you can dream as much as you like. So, how about finally taking me up on that 'living together' idea?"

For her answer, she kissed him passionately, her eyes closing slowly. Mwu's own eyes also closed as he returned her kiss, his hands wrapping even further around her slender body.

In the bed opposite, Natarle smiled, and went back to sleep.

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_A few weeks later_

The couple walked barefoot along the sandy beach, the foamy surf wetting their feet. The warm afternoon sunlight shone down on Orb, feeling like a promise, a promise that everything would be all right. Murrue and Mwu kept walking, hands entwined, chatting about everything and nothing.

Today was a day off, a day when their new duties at Morgenroete didn't concern them. So they had spent the day doing ordinary 'couple' things, just walking together, shopping, talking. They loved this feeling, being able to live as an ordinary couple, just two people together, not soldiers. Of course, some things were hard to let go of, and Murrue was so used to being a captain still, that she acted as though she was still the boss. And oddly enough, Mwu didn't mind a bit...

"So, you went to visit the Lieutenant the other day, huh? How's she doing?"

Murrue smiled. "She's getting better all the time. Her wounds are still pretty sore, and they'll take a while before they're fully healed. But she should be out of hospital soon. Actually, Natarle was surprised that she wasn't in prison, that she wasn't dead. But what happened..wasn't her fault, and I told her that, and that I still think of her as a friend. Then...she thanked me, and said that she was glad, and that maybe being soft-hearted wasn't such a bad thing after all..." The auburn-haired woman glanced up at her lover, face worried. "Am I really soft?"

He chuckled, the warm breeze blowing back the blonde hair. "Maybe you were for a battleship captain, but it's part of what makes you who you are. If you weren't so soft..so _kind_, so many more people would have died. Kindness, compassion..they're nothing to be ashamed of." Squeezing her hand, Mwu smiled as they reached home, a little house set back from the beach, with a wonderful view of the ocean. "Here we are." He turned to Murrue, taking her into his arms. "Are you happy?"

"Of course I am," she replied, kissing him lightly. "I have everything I was afraid to dream of, everything I ever wanted. How could I not be happy?"

He looked thoughful, a faraway look in those blue eyes of his. "You have your dream, don't you? The one you told me about. The one with the nice house and garden, and nice job. But I..I don't have _my_ dream yet.."

Murrue looked up at him in confusion, not understanding.

"Remember? The one I told you about, how I wanted a wife and family. So, what do you think? Can I have my wish one day?"

He laughed gently at her blush, and turned to walk up the path and unlock the door.

Unseen by him, Murrue just stood there in the sunlight, a small, secret smile to her pink lips as she placed a hand on her stomach.

_Be careful what you wish for..._

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( Yay! It took me AGES to write this, (I'm sorry, Jadzia :bows: I'll write faster next time!) and some bits were difficult to get right. But I really wanted to find a way to make Mwu come through the battle okay, and for Natarle to live. Hurray for fanfiction! XD

As you might have guessed, the ending was my favourite to write. If anyone wants a sequel to this story, let me know, and suggestions for it are more than welcome.

Please read and review, and thanks for all the reviews so far. Love you guys! )


	23. Caring

The _Archangel_'s hangar bay rang with the sounds of shouting and machinery. The ship was being restocked for it's impending mission, the details of which as yet were known only to the Captain and senior officers. The Captain herself was directing the supplies to the places they needed to go, a clipboard in her hand and a pen stuck behind her ear. Seeing a load being moved in the wrong direction, Murrue ran across the gantry, calling out.

"Hey, wait! That wants to go over..." She got no further than the word 'over' before she caught her foot in the gantry railing, falling heavily. The clipboard flew one way, the pen another. The metal grilling of the gantry scored Murrue's hands, and her knees ached from the impact.

"Captain..are you all right?" One of the junior technicians stood over her, hand extended to pull her up. Gratefully, Murrue took the hand, cheeks burning with embarrassment. "Thank you...I'm all right." she said quietly as she regained her footing. The technician smiled, and ran off after handing her the clipboard she had dropped. After directing the rest of the supplies, Murrue ticked off the final page on her checklist, and set off for her office.

But she wasn't all right. The fall...the foot she had caught in the railing hurt terribly. So much so, that Murrue could hardly walk. But walk she did, very slowly, as normally as she could, so no-one passing would notice any difference. Crewmembers did hurry past, nodding and smiling to her, and she smiled back, hiding her pain perfectly with iron-clad concentration.

_No-one can tell, and it's better that way. I can check up on it when I get to my office._

Neo sauntered down the corridor, box in hand. Some guy had shoved this into his hands and told him to go put it in the bathrooms. He had no clue what was in it, and he didn't much care, but since he'd been in the right place at the right time, he'd agreed to do it.

As he made his way to his destination, slow, careful footsteps caught Neo's attention, and he peeked around the box. Seeing the Captain, he smiled happily, waving a little.

But she didn't seem to notice him at all. Neo frowned as he watched her slowly make her way down the hall. Something was wrong. Her already pale face was chalk white, and those huge dark eyes of hers were full of pain. Setting down the box, Neo gently placed a hand on her arm, trying to get her attention.

"Captain..are you okay?" She looked up at him, the pain clear to see. Fixing a smile to her face, the woman nodded. "Oh, Colonel. Yes, I'm fine, thanks.."

Neo wasn't fooled for an instant. Most people wouldn't have noticed that something was wrong, but he...he just _knew_, for some reason, that the Captain had hurt herself.

"You're not okay, I can tell. Please, what's wrong?"

Murrue sighed, looking down to avoid the Colonel's concerned gaze. Why did _he_, of all people, have to be there? Why was _he_ the one she ran into? Of course, with him being so like Mwu (so much so it was frightening) he would see through her attempts to hide her pain. Mwu could _always_ tell when she was hiding something...

Shaking her head, Murrue carried on walking. But for some reason, the pain in her foot was worse now. She could barely put any weight on it, and her walking had quite clearly become limping.

_Oh great. Now he's really going to know something's wrong. Stupid ankle. I don't want people to see me like this, least of all **him**..._

Before she could get much further, the Colonel moved in front of her, kneeling down and examining her injured foot. Murrue tried to pull the foot away, but he caught it, and began gently palpating it to find the cause of the pain.

Agony shot through her, and she cried out in pain, stifling the sound with a hand to her mouth..

"I thought so.." said the Colonel softly, a twinkle in his deep blue eyes. "And you were going to carry on like this, go back to the bridge when you can hardly walk?"

She huffed. "I told you, I'm _fine_!" Pulling her ankle from his grasp, Murrue set off again, intending to at least make it to the elevator. But..now her ankle wouldn't even bear her weight, it gave way beneath her, and she collapsed to the floor, tears of pain and frustration rolling down her cheeks.

_Why? Why does this have to happen when he's watching?_

Neo saw her sitting there on the floor, crying, but trying not to let him _see_ that she was crying, and his heart melted, unexpected feelings of tenderness and compassion flooding through him. Crouching by her side, he offered her his hand, smiling gently.

The Captain stared up at him, tears still swimming in those beautiful eyes. "I-I'm..sorry. I'm such an idiot.." she whispered.

"Why? It's not your fault, is it? Here," As she placed her hand in his, Neo helped her to her feet, offering her a shoulder to lean on, so she could put all her weight on her good ankle.

"Come on, let's get you to sickbay. You can't go on like this..." The Captain made a complaining noise, but she couldn't really do anything about it. The two walked slowly down the corridor, the smaller auburn-haired figure leaning into her tall companion, hesitantly holding onto his arm for more support.

The sickbay was silent, the white sterility of the room seeming to absorb sound. Neo helped the Captain across to one of the beds, and moved into the other room. "Hey, doc! You in here?" But the place was empty. The man sighed, running a hand through his long blonde hair. _Guess it's just us, then..._

Searching in cupboards, Neo found a length of strong bandage, as well as a small bowl, which he filled with water. Taking them over to where the Captain waited, he knelt down beside the bed.

"All right now, I need you to take off your boot and stocking for me, please. I can't treat you otherwise..."

Part of Neo really wanted to take them off for her, but he stayed where he was, smiling as the woman's pale face slowly flushed pink. He very rarely saw her blush, and he loved to see it.

Carefully, wincing, the Captain removed the boot and grey stocking she wore, and Neo lifted the small, delicate foot in one hand. He tried hard to concentrate on what her injury was, and not on the smooth feel of her skin, but it was difficult...

Her foot and ankle were badly swollen, and felt hot to the touch. It was only a sprain, luckily, but it was a bad one. Soaking the bandage in the cool water, Neo gently wrapped it around the foot and ankle, strapping it up as tightly as he dared.

"There we are..all done now."

Murrue sighed as the Colonel finished binding her foot. The cold water made her feel instantly better, cooling the hot skin. Of course, the water didn't help her burning cheeks. The feel of his fingers, his touch..it had made her heart race. She was sure she must be bright red, and she pressed the backs of her hands to her cheeks, cursing silently as she felt the heat.

_Why the hell do I keep reacting this way to him? All he did was bandage my ankle! If it had been the doctor who'd done it, I wouldn't be like this..._

As the blonde man fastened the bandage in place with a safety pin, he got to his feet...and lifted Murrue up in his arms.

The blush returned with a vengeance, and she struggled to get down, to get away. "Put me down!"

"Hey, hey, come on, it's okay..." he soothed. "You shouldn't walk on this foot for a while."

Murrue hid her face behind a veil of dark hair. "But what...what if someone sees us? What will they say?"

The Colonel chuckled, peeking round her hair at her blushing cheeks. "What they'll see is your foot bandaged up, and they'll think: 'Oh, the Captain had an accident, and she can't walk so well. So someone's helping her.' Why, what else would they think?"

Murrue didn't answer, hiding her face again as the Colonel carried her to her quarters. It wasn't that she was angry at him for doing this, she was angry at herself for..._enjoying_ the feeling so much. It was so like something Mwu would have done...it felt so familiar. Without thinking, without even realising, Murrue closed her eyes, and rested her head on his shoulder, breathing in his scent.

Neo smiled as his captain nestled close to him, the feeling of tenderness from earlier washing over him again. It felt so nice to be able to care for someone like this, something he wasn't used to. Perhaps this ship really had changed him...changed him for the better...

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(Lol. OOC as hell, but I don't care. Because it's cute.

Read and review, please :D )


	24. I Miss You

_This is so dull..._

Mwu lay in the sickbay bed, staring up at the ceiling. The room was dim, lit only by a small lamp in the far corner, but the smell of antiseptic was still as strong as ever, constantly reminding him of where he was. The injuries he'd sustained inside Colony Mendel still warranted his stay in this room, the gunshot wound in the shoulder and shrapnel wound in his side painful to the touch, even after a fortnight. Sometimes Mwu was kept awake at night, both by the discomfort of the injuries, and by his thoughts circling round like a hamster in a wheel. He thought about all the things that had happened so far, everything that had brought him to this place, and also about the things Klueze had said. Mwu had no idea how much of what that man had said was true, but given what he remembered from his childhood, and also about his father's personality, he was willing to bet that what he had been told was fact.

All these thoughts spun around in his head, and refused to let Mwu sleep. And now..judging by the clock..it was the middle of the night.

_Things will work out. After all..didn't she say that it wasn't my fault? Even if I blame myself for all that's happened..**she** never will..._

He sighed, running a hand through his blonde hair. To tell the truth..he was just kind of lonely. By himself, the doubts and anxieties came back to haunt him repeatedly, and it was driving him crazy. What he really needed was company. Sure, the doctors were always around, but that wasn't the kind of company Mwu craved. Murrue did come and visit him, she stopped by every day, and he looked forward immensely to her visits. But there wasn't much to talk about. Nothing was happening with the war so far, the three isolated ships had heard no news of what the situation was. Plus, sickbay wasn't the most private place, so apart from an occasional squeeze of each other's hands, and her light kiss on his cheek when she left, they weren't able to show much affection towards each other. And Murrue never stayed long anyway...she always had things to do.

_This is what happens when you have a workaholic captain for your lover.._

Mwu missed her. He really wanted to see her, but it was the middle of the night. And plus, he wasn't allowed out of sickbay just yet, he was being kept in 'for observation'.

_But right now...I couldn't care less._

At that moment, the doctor walked quietly into the room. Quick as a flash, Mwu closed his eyes, pretending to be asleep. The doctor checked the charts that hung at the bottom of the bed, then carried on walking, disappearing through the door at the far end of the room, leaving Mwu alone again.

Cautiously, one blue eye opened. The room was empty.

_Good, he's gone. And they took out that damn drip the other day as well._ He grinned. _Their mistake._

Slowly, carefully, he eased himself out of bed, grimacing at the pain the movement caused, grabbed the uniform jacket from the bottom of his bed, and tip-toed out of sickbay.

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Murrue was annoyed. There she sat, at the tiny desk in her room, a pile of papers before her. The little lamp on the desk was dim, the half-darkness difficult to write in, and making her eyes ache. There were so many reports to fill out, so many things to sign...it seemed endless. The clock told her it was late at night, and her eyes felt heavy. But she had to finish this.

It didn't help that her tiredness was causing her mind to wander, drifting to all the things that had happened to her and this ship. The war, the constant attacks...the fact that she had to fight Natarle now..what would happen next?

Murrue sighed, leaning her head on the desk, dark auburn hair falling about her face. She hated this _waiting_. The war was silent...as if it wasn't taking place at all. And she was just one person, in charge of a ship full of people who depended on her.

_I hate this. Hate feeling so vulnerable..so small. Can I keep the ship safe? Am I up to it?_

And she was lonely. She really needed someone to talk to. At times like this, when her fear and doubt caught up to her..she wanted Mwu with her. The fact that she missed him so much made her rather angry with herself, but she couldn't change the fact that she did miss him, and the fact that he always was able to make her feel safe, and happy.

_And right now, I need that comfort. I want to see him. Even though he's probably asleep, I want to see him._

_---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

They met halfway between sickbay and her quarters. In fact, they almost bumped into each other in their tiredness and the belief that the other was fast asleep. Murrue looked him over. He looked exhausted, as though he'd been trying to sleep but something had kept him awake. His bandages were clean, no longer bloodstained, which made her feel much happier.

Mwu in turn, saw that Murrue was tired, her beautiful face pale and drawn. And...she seemed afraid, for some reason.

The two stood there in silence for a few moments, feeling slightly awkward. Then...the tension escaped in laughter.

"Oh, you...what am I going to do with you?" asked Murrue softly. "You should be in sickbay, you're not well yet, you're..." She was cut off when Mwu reached out to her and gently stroked her cheek with the back of his hand.

The woman smiled, and reached up to take his hand. "I guess..you wanted to see me as much as I wanted to see you..."

The couple walked slowly to her room, saying nothing, just happy to be with each other.

Inside, in the first privacy they had had in a fortnight, they just pulled each other into a hug. Still they said nothing, simply enjoying the embrace, the feel of each other. The loneliness they both felt had gone, the insecurity easing.

Breaking free of his strong arms, Murrue looked up at Mwu. His eyelids were fluttering, his head nodding, and she giggled quietly. Standing on the tips of her toes, she kissed him lightly. "Come on, I'll take you back now..." But Mwu shook his head.

"I'd like to stay here tonight. Please let me.."

He could tell that she was as tired as he was, those amber eyes half-closed. "Come on.." She smiled, and nodded.

He settled back on her bed, and she covered him with the sheet. "Aren't you sleeping?" he asked softly. "Yes, of course," she replied. "But you're still hurt, aren't you?". Murrue curled up at the bottom of the bed, her voice a drowsy murmur. "I'll sleep here.."

He sighed, and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. Despite her not being as close as he would have liked, he could still feel her warmth, and her comforting presence was all he needed to be able to sleep, the worried thoughts from earlier themselves like just a dream.

"Goodnight, Murrue..."

But she was already asleep, a faint smile on her face, breathing soft and even. Mwu smiled once more, hand stroking her dark hair.

_This is what we both needed..._

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( This be based on a fanart Lithiumflower found last week, which is so incredibly cute it's ridiculous.

Oh, and I have a question. Is anyone actually reading these? I know irishdragon and Lithiumflower do, and a couple of others sometimes (and I really appreciate it) . But..is anyone else? No-one else ever reviews, or says much of anything really. Am I just doing this for my own benefit?

Sorry if I seem insecure, but...I'd really like to know..:is sad:

Please read and review! )


	25. A New Future

Okay. People have asked for a possible sequel to my AU story, 'A Different Tomorrow', so here it is. It was fun to imagine XD

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It was the day of the wedding. The skies over Orb were bright and clear, the day promising to be glorious, perfect for the occasion. In the tiny wooden house near the beach, a brunette woman stood in front of a full-length mirror, examining her reflection. The wedding gown she wore clung to her body, falling to the ground in an elaborate confection of ivory silk and lace.

Murrue took deep breaths, trying to calm her racing heart. Today had arrived so quickly..the day she was to be married. Her hands were shaking so much, she hadn't been able to fix her hair, so Lacus-san was doing it for her, braiding up the thick auburn hair with white and pink flowers from her garden. Miriallia-san was arranging pastel coloured flowers for the bouquet Murrue would carry for the ceremony.

_Today...I'm getting married. I-I still can't believe it..._

Natarle sat at one side of the room, watching the preparations. Despite Captain Ramius...no, _Murrue_'s reassurance that they were friends, she still wasn't sure why she'd been invited to her wedding. And even though she'd accepted the invitation, Natarle wasn't sure what she should do. But she couldn't hold back a smile at how nervous Murrue was. Her pale face was flushed pink, and her hands were trembling. But she wore a huge smile, obviously extremely nervous and excited.

"I still can't believe you're getting married today. You were only engaged a month ago.."

Murrue giggled, fiddling with the amber and gold engagement ring she wore. "Neither can I," she replied in her soft voice, smiling at Miriallia. Lacus spoke up, putting the finishing touches to the bride's hairstyle. "And I still can't believe _how_ Fllaga-san proposed to you.."

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_A month earlier_

The couple were sitting on the sofa in their tiny house, watching TV together. Mwu had his arms wrapped around Murrue, and her eyes were closed. It was so peaceful and quiet, it seemed that nothing could happen to break the silence and stillness. But then...Mwu felt a flutter from inside his girlfriend's stomach.

_What the...hmm, probably just indigestion..._

Then it happened again. And this time, it wasn't a flutter..it was a definite 'kick'. Mwu raised an eyebrow, and peered at Murrue. "Is there something that you forgot to tell me?"

She giggled, looking up at him. "I wasn't sure when would be the best time to let you know. I was waiting for you to notice yourself. But yes, I am."

Mwu beamed, delighted. "This is great!" He bent down and kissed her gently, placing a hand back on her stomach. Murrue smiled, and placed her hand over his. "Are you happy? This was your wish, wasn't it?"

"Yeah," he replied. "But only half of it..." He sighed, mock-theatrically. "You do realise that you'll have to marry me now, right?"

"Okay."

He blinked. "Huh? I..I was kidding..." Murrue laughed. "I wasn't."

Mwu pulled her closer into his embrace. "You mean... you _will_ marry me?"

"Yes." she answered, kissing him lightly. "I will."

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Natarle raised an eyebrow as she listened to the story. For something like that...for such a big step...it was amazing how casually it had happened. And it was also amazing how Commander La Fllaga had never once noticed that Murrue had been pregnant. It was almost impossible to miss...

A loud knock on the door broke Natarle's concentration, and she moved to open the wooden portal. Outside..was La Fllaga. He smiled hopefully. "Uh..hi. Can I come in?"

The woman raised a dark eyebrow. "You know the groom isn't allowed to see the bride before the wedding..." The blonde man's face fell. "Aww, please?"

Natarle sighed, noticing that he only wore uniform trousers and a purple T-shirt. "You wanted to come see her..and you're not even ready yet? Go on, get dressed!"

"But.."

"OUT!" thundered Natarle, slamming the door in his face. She could hear the man whining childishly from outside, and she almost laughed, but didn't let herself. Murrue and the girls were, however. "Oh, Natarle.." giggled Murrue. "Poor Mwu, you scared him half to death!"

An hour later, all the preparations were finished, and Lacus and Miriallia had gone to put on their own outfits. Natarle herself had been ready since that morning. But Murrue hadn't come out of the room yet. Knocking quietly on the door, Natarle let herself in.

Murrue was still sitting on the simple chair, still staring at her own reflection in the mirror. Her pretty oval face was pale, and her expression..she was terrified.

"What's wrong?" asked Natarle softly, crossing the room to where the bride sat. Her dark amber eyes were wide and scared, and she was shaking. "Cold feet?"

"N-no..it's not that. But I _am_..scared. Will we be okay, Mwu and I? Being married?"

Natarle crouched down beside the older woman, and smiled a little. "You've been okay so far, haven't you? What difference will this make? All that'll happen is that you'll share his surname and wear another ring."

"Y-yes, I know that...but what if something goes wrong? What if...things don't work out?"

"I'm sure you'll be fine. You love him, don't you? And I doubt you being married will change that."

Murrue gulped. "But we'll be bound together..can we take such a big step?"

"You already are bound together.." replied Natarle, pointing to Murrue's stomach. The bump of her pregnancy was clearly visible. "This baby binds you together, and it'll be for always. If you're okay with that, then marriage will be fine. You see?"

Murrue rubbed her stomach through the silk of the wedding dress, a smile returning to her face. "I-I see. The baby is part of Mwu and I..and it means that even if we didn't marry, we'd still be together.." She looked up at Natarle. "Thank you..."

Natarle wasn't sure what to say. She'd never been good in situations like this. Standing up, she handed Murrue the lacy veil that hung over the back of the chair. "We..should get going now. The ceremony will start soon..."

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Murrue glanced up as she walked slowly down the aisle, holding onto Kira's arm. The lace of the veil obstructed her vision slightly, but she could still clearly make out the figure of her groom standing there at the altar, where Reverend Malchio would conduct the wedding.

Her fear from earlier was still present, but it was lessened. Natarle had been right.

_Whether we get married or not, we still have the baby. That won't change. And I do love Mwu..with all my heart. So this is the right decision._

She could see Mwu standing there, smiling at her. He looked so different in the Orb military uniform he wore, rather than the old Earth Alliance one she had been so used to, but the change suited him..he looked so handsome. His blue eyes twinkled at her, and she blushed.

_We'll be happy. I know we will. After losing **him**, I didn't think I could be happy again, let alone love someone else enough to marry them. But this..I was wrong, so wrong._

Holding out her hand, her fiance took it as she neared the altar, Kira taking his place beside Mwu as his best man.

_This is it,_ Mwu's eyes seemed to say. _Are you ready?_

_You bet I am.._ she thought back, smiling.

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After the service, the two stood on the beach, watching the sun set. She had changed out of the silken wedding gown, and into a simple dark blue dress. Mwu was still in uniform, and her head rested on his shoulder, hair still garlanded with flowers.

Natarle stood outside the house, watching the newly-married couple. Normally, sunsets signified an end to things, but for those two, she was sure it heralded the true beginning of their life together.

She was jealous, she couldn't deny that. She had long harboured a small crush on La Fllaga, he was so handsome it was almost impossible not to. But she had learned early on that nothing would ever come of it, his gaze, his attention, had always been on his captain. And he had gone back to her at Alaska.

Natarle had never really understood why, hadn't been able to comprehend it.

_They chose their hearts over their careers..something I would never be able to do. They chose love over their duty to the Alliance, risked desertion and death for their love and what they believed in. I could only see my duty as a soldier, nothing else mattered. Perhaps if I'd found someone to give my heart to, things could have been different..._

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_Six months later..._

Natarle stood outside the tiny house near the beach. She didn't really know why she'd come, hadn't told anyone she was coming. She had been hard at work helping rebuild Heliopolis, and hadn't even visited Earth once since she'd been gone. The summer breeze blew through her black hair, and she took a deep breath.

_Why here? Why was this the first place I came?_

During that time, she had wondered how Murrue and Mwu's marriage was going. She hadn't recieved any news from Earth, even though she knew the baby had been born three months before.

Collecting herself, the woman walked up the path, and knocked on the door.

"Just a minute!" called Murrue's voice from inside, and a few moments later, the door opened. Murrue's face lit up in delight when she saw who her guest was, and she pulled Natarle into a friendly hug. The younger woman wasn't sure how to react to this, but she eventually returned the embrace. "It's been so long! How have you been? Here, come in. Would you like some coffee?"

Following Murrue inside the house, Natarle looked around. The place was small, definitely, but warm and inviting. None of the furniture matched, and there were pictures all over the wall, and papers everywhere. But the effect was comforting and homely.

"Sorry for the mess..." Murrue apologised, sweeping the papers together. "I've been trying to catch up on work.." Setting the coffee maker into motion, she gestured to Natarle to sit down.

"It's so nice to see you again. It's a shame Mwu has to work today, he'd have been happy to see you, I'm sure...So, how are you doing?" She poured the coffee, humming to herself.

Natarle could only stare. Her former superior was so...domestic now. But she seemed so happy, glowing as though she were lit from inside. Her marriage was obviously a very happy one...

"I'm..fine. Work's kept me busy these last few months. And...what about you? How's your baby? And your husband?"

Murrue smiled happily. "Mwu and I are..just fine. More than fine, in fact. And the baby...Wait here a moment." Standing up, she made her way out of the room, and came back a minute later, carrying a bundle in her arms. "Here. Would you like to hold her?"

Gingerly taking the bundle from the auburn-haired woman, Natarle gazed at the baby girl. She was fast asleep, little arms waving in her slumber. As she moved, Natarle could clearly see the infant's wavy golden hair.

"She's got her father's hair colouring, I see. But her face...she looks just like you.."

It was true. Even though the little girl was so tiny, her features mirrored her mother's, pale oval face and small mouth. Murrue blushed. "Really? She does? Mwu says that, but I can never see it.."

Natarle laughed a little, and the baby stirred, and awoke. She stared up at the one who held her with her father's cobalt blue eyes, then smiled, gurgling.

"She's beautiful..what's her name?"

"She's called Lily. I named her for my mother." Lifting the baby into her arms, Murrue smiled, and kissed the little face, making Lily laugh.

Natarle watched the mother and child, smiling herself.

_This is right. This is how it should be, how she was meant to be. I never thought that Murrue made a very good captain, even though the crew loved and trusted her so much. This is how she's supposed to be, a wife, a mother, not a soldier._

_I sincerely hope that war never comes again, and she and her husband can live this life forever..._

_---------------------------------------------------------------------_

( Is this okay? Natarle is really tough to write, and I hope I was able to get her character right. As for 'how Murrue-san's supposed to be', I always got the impression that she'd be so happy as a wife and mother. It seems so right somehow, much more so that her being a soldier, even though she was a really good captain.

And I just like writing wedding fics anyway...Also...the reappearance of Lily :laughs: I just love that name...

Please read and review! )


	26. Confusion

He was sleeping. The bright blue eyes were closed, golden hair falling about the scarred face, breathing deep and even. Murrue stood in the open sickbay doorway, just watching the prisoner as he slept. His chest rose and fell with his breaths, his face was peaceful in slumber...it was just as she remembered. Or was it?

_I was so sure..when he woke up here, that he was my Mwu. That somehow..he'd come back to me, perhaps by a miracle._

_But I should have known better. There's no such thing as miracles, or fairytales. Whoever this man is...he can't be Mwu. Even though he's identical in every way..._

She sighed. _That's what I don't understand. If he isn't Mwu, then why is his DNA exactly the same? And if that means he **is** Mwu...why doesn't he know us? Know me?_

This was getting her nowhere. This wouldn't help, staring at him as though trying to will him to remember her, will him to be the one she still loved so much. She had to leave, escape the torturous cycle of thoughts. Turning to go, toleave the darkened sickbay, Murrue was startled by his voice. That voice...the one that was so familiar, yet not.

"So, you're here again.."

Murrue looked away. The light from the corridor reflected off those blue eyes, and the gaze was so intense..she couldn't look at him.

"You're always here at this time. Am I so interesting? Or do you just hope that I'll suddenly have become who you want me to be?"

"It-it's not that.." Murrue stuttered, still not able to meet his gaze. "I-I have to check up on you.."

"Ah, I see." He was smiling, but there was no warmth in that smile, only sarcasm. "It's because I'm a prisoner, right?"

Murrue couldn't answer. _You're not **supposed** to be a prisoner! Even though you're not Mwu...I can't bring myself to have you locked up..._

"Well, don't worry." he chuckled, showing her his bound wrists. "I'm not going anywhere."

Murrue shook her head, took a deep breath, and met his eyes with her own amber ones. "Very well. Now I've checked up on you, I'll leave."

_I won't let you see my sadness. I won't let **anyone** see it._

As she spun around to leave, he called out to her. "Hey, wait a moment!"

Neo blinked. He had no idea why he'd just called out to this woman, why he suddenly wanted her to stay with him. She looked as shocked as he felt, dim light making her large dark eyes shine.

_It would be easier to be an uncooperative prisoner if you weren't so beautiful..._

The woman..this ship's captain..looked unsure for a moment, then moved back into the room. "What is it?"

Neo sighed, and looked up at the ceiling. "Could you..stay for a while? It's so boring here with no-one to talk to."

The captain looked bemused. "But it's the middle of the night. And there's Kira-kun to talk with.."

Neo huffed. "That kid..I don't wanna talk to him. He makes me feel uncomfortable. He's so convinced I'm that other guy, he even calls me by his name. It gives me the creeps."

The corners of the captain's lips quirked in a smile. "It's okay.." she said softly. "Kira-kun looked up to Mwu like an older brother. And I guess he wanted to repay him for everything he did."

Neo looked across at where the boy slept, understanding slightly. "I see. Still...I don't like being called by someone else's name.."

He glanced back up at the captain, noticing that she never met his gaze for more than a moment, and that she kept fiddling with the ends of her long auburn hair, as though she were nervous.

"What's wrong?" he asked, inwardly noting that he wasn't acting much like a prisoner now...

She didn't answer him, twisting her hands together in her lap. Neo sighed again. "You're the same, aren't you?"

That got her attention. "Same what?"

"The same as everyone else on this ship. All those people who come and gawk at me like I'm a museum exhibit. They all whisper to each other about how much I look like this 'Mwu', and how I must be him. But I'm _not_! I'm me, my name is Neo, not 'Mwu'. Why can't anyone accept that?" he almost shouted in frustration.

"I have.." the captain replied quietly. Neo was taken aback by the finality of her words, and by how desperately unhappy those words sounded.

"I won't deny that the first time I saw you, I thought you were Mwu. You look and sound so much like him, it was impossible not to hope...But now I know that you aren't him, no matter how much I wanted you to be..no matter how much I want to see him again.."

Her soft voice faltered, and tears began to stream down her cheeks. Neo gasped, as much at the way his heart had constricted at seeing her cry, as at the tears themselves. Collecting himself, he spoke again.

"When I asked before..asked what he was to you, all you said was that he was a 'war comrade'. But he was much more than that to you, wasn't he? It doesn't take a rocket scientist to work out how close you and this 'Mwu' must have been..."

All she could do was nod, the tears still falling.

Neo didn't know what to do next. He hadn't expected her to begin crying like this, and he had no idea how to get her to stop.

_Of all the things to happen..all I wanted was someone to talk to, but..this isn't what I had in mind. And why do I care so much?_

_I'm a prisoner here, this woman is pretty much my jailer, so why do I want to comfort her? Why do I hate seeing her cry? Is is because she's so goddamn attractive, or is it more than that?_

_I should be happy that she's practically the only one on this ship who isn't convinced I'm 'Mwu', but instead...I feel guilty that I'm **not** him. What the hell is happening to me?_

Finally, the captain's tears stopped, her shoulders ceased heaving from her sobs, and she smiled a little, looking very embarrassed. Her marigold eyes still reflected pain and loss, but she seemed to be hiding it.

"Sorry about that..I..I don't know where that came from.." Wiping away stray tears, she stood up to leave.

"I shouldn't have said things like that.." she whispered. Neo chuckled again, despite everything. "Don't be sorry. I started it, after all. I am still surprised you agreed to talk to me though. Aren't I a prisoner?"

"Yes, I guess you are. But it's not like..well, I don't know. Who the enemy really is was never that clear. Kira-kun was the one who brought you here, but it was due to who he thought you were, rather than who you were fighting for."

Neo closed his eyes. "I guess..we'll find out what happens soon enough. But I'll tell you this...I bet ZAFT goes after Orb sooner or later. No way they'll let such a powerful country stay neutral for long."

The captain looked down, face troubled. Then she smiled again. "Yes, you could be right. But we've survived everything the Alliance could throw at us, and I'm sure that it'll be the same this time.."

She turned to leave, the light catching her eyes again. "I'd better go. This ship will be home pretty soon. Sorry to bother you like that.."

As the door closed behind her, Neo was surprised by how lonely he felt at her absence. He had actually enjoyed talking to her, and the way they had talked...it was like they were friends.

_Friends? How can that be? I'm..I'm a prisoner, they're only keeping me here because they think I'm someone I'm not. How could they be my friends? How could **she** be my friend?_

But..that was the way he felt. That if he had the chance to get to know this female captain..they could become good friends. It was irrational and completely inexplicable..but it was the truth.

_What the hell **is** happening to me?_

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( Lol. Poor Neo-san. Confused, huh? This started off as angst, but I wanted it to be lighter than that, because I hate it when Murrue-san's all depressed. Plus, there's enough angsty fics around already...

Please read and review! And thankies soooooo much for all the nice messages I got! I'm really glad that so many people are reading, and that you all enjoy them. It means so much to me. Especially my forum best buddies, irishdragon and lithiumflower56 (love you guys XD) and Alone in a New Place, who's so much better at writing than me...)


	27. Loneliness

(This is a...well, I guess you could say a prequel, to my earlier story, 'Surprises.' Hope you like! )

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It was four weeks after the battle at Jachin Due. Murrue had quickly settled into life in Orb, finding herself a tiny house in a quiet neighbourhood, and securing a job at Morgenroete's shipbuilding facility. She enjoyed work, as it was very like what she had been used to before being thrown into the role of a captain, and she had become good friends with Erica Simmons, the director of the facility.

Work..also helped occupy her mind. It had only been a very short space of time since..since _that_ had happened. Putting everything she had into her work stopped her from returning to those thoughts, to the grief and loneliness she hadn't let herself express, the pain that made her heart ache so much..

But lately, it had become difficult to concentrate on her work. Murrue had started feeling very strange lately. She slept so much, far more than was normal, and far more than she liked. Also..her appetite, scant at the best of times, had all but disappeared entirely. Murrue felt as though her body was trying to tell her something, but she had no clue what it was...

One day, she was so sleepy that she barely made it to work on time. Erica raised an eyebrow as the younger woman dashed past her, but mercifully, she didn't say anything.

Today was the day the big project started, the annual maintenance check on _Takemikazuchi_. As she worked on the engine, Murrue was concious of people staring at her. She knew something was wrong with her, very wrong, but she wasn't going to give in, she wasn't...even with her eyelids growing heavy..she would not give in to her own body, she was stronger than that, she was...

Erica gasped as Murrue dropped the wrench she held, and pitched forward onto her knees, passing out.

"Murrue!" Running over to her friend, she motioned to another technician to help her carry the unconcious brunette to the hospital wing. But she discovered she may as well not have bothered to get help. Murrue was light, too light, as though her bones were hollow, like a bird's...

_She's so frail. Has she been eating at all?_

In the hospital wing, with Murrue tucked up in bed, fast asleep, the doctors ran tests to find out what was wrong with her. Erica hovered impatiently, wanting to know whether her friend and co-worker would be okay. Finally, when the results were in, Erica's eyes widnened at the information on the piece of paper.

_Oh, God. For something like this to happen...so those rumours were true after all..._

When Murrue awoke, for a moment, she didn't know where she was. Then her eyes focused on the figure sitting by her bed.

"Erica?" she mumbled. "Where am I? What happened?"

The older woman sighed. "The hospital wing. You passed out.." Murrue closed her eyes, red creeping onto her pale cheeks in embarrassment. "I'm so sorry..."

"Here," said Erica softly. "Sit up." When Murrue did so, her friend handed her a bowl of what looked like chicken soup. "Eat this."

Murrue poked listlessly at the liquid with a spoon. "Thanks, but I..I'm not really hungry.."

Erica's face became stern. "Eat it! The doctors said that you weren't eating enough!"

Slowly, Murrue spooned the broth into her mouth, making her friend's face light up in a smile again. "Much better. You need to start taking better care of yourself. Especially now."

Murrue tipped her head to one side. _What does she mean, 'now'?_

Then Erica handed her the test results. The bowl of soup tipped from the bed and hit the floor with a crash. Murrue's eyes went wide, and her already pale face turned chalk-white.

_I-I'm...no, this can't be true. I can't be..pregnant. This means that I..that Mwu..._

Conflicting emotions swirled within her. Incredible sadness and loneliness, the thought that Mwu's wish had come true, that he would have a child..but he would never be able to meet this child. But also there was happiness, joy, in the fact that she would have a living reminder of the one she loved, more than just her memories. All these feelings were mixed up inside, combined with the raw grief and pain at the knowledge that she would never see her baby's father again. Burying her face in her hands, Murrue cried. She cried so hard, she could barely breathe. All of this..it was the first time since it had happened that she'd let herself cry for Mwu, and now that she'd started, it felt like she couldn't stop.

Erica put her arms around Murrue, letting her cry on her shoulder. She knew that Murrue would have this child, there was never any doubt about that. "It's going to be all right. Your friends, me...we'll all help you. If there's anything you need, or don't understand, I'll be here. Would Commander la Fllaga be happy, do you think?"

Murrue nodded, tears still falling. "H-he said..he w-wanted a family one day..."

Erica smiled. "Then I'm sure he'll be here taking care of you too..."

When Kira and the others found out, they all rallied around their former captain. They decided immediately that Murrue should stop living on her own in that little house, and they persuaded her to move in with the Desert Tiger, Andrew Bartfeld, who had a massive house atop a cliff, far too big for one person to live in alone.

"You need someone to take care of you," said Kira when Murrue had protested. "You never take care of yourself properly. We can all help, and there's plenty of room in that house for you and your baby as well as Bartfeld-san."

They also made her visit the little wooden house on the beach every day. Lacus and Kira's mother Caridad always made her a proper meal, and the experiences she had with the orphans helped Murrue become used to taking care of children.

The days and months passed quickly, and steadily, the baby grew.

In the last month, Erica visited Murrue, who was sitting outside on the balcony of the big house, enjoying the breeze.

"How are you doing? Is everything okay?"

Murrue smiled. "Yes, I'm fine. It's hard sometimes, and I get tired really easily. But I'll be all right."

"That's good. So, have you got any names picked out?"

"Lily." replied Murrue softly, stroking her stomach. Erica grinned. "Pretty name. Any others?" Her friend looked surprised. "No, just that.."

"But what if this baby's a boy?"

Murrue shook her head. "No, she's a girl. I know it." Her dark eyes had a faraway look in them. "I can just tell..."

She looked up at Erica again. "Sometimes I think...that there's nothing to worry about. Then..then I get scared. Can I do this? Will I be a good mother? At times like that...I want him here so badly..I miss him so much!" Tears rolled down her cheeks, and Erica reached over and hugged her. "It's going to be all right. I know you miss him...we're all here for you, okay?"

A few weeks later, Murrue was rushed to hospital. She had been alone in the house when she'd suddenly been gripped by a terrible pain, and it had scared her. Erica had warned her that childbirth would be the worst pain she'd ever experienced, but not even that had prepared her for how bad it would really be...

In the hospital..she was all alone except for the doctors and nurses, and she was terrified. The pain was getting worse, and all she could do was cry, not able to hide her weakness. _Mwu..I know you're here with me. Please help me..._

When the baby was finally born, Murrue's tears fell harder as she heard the infant cry. "Is...is she all right?"

The nurse smiled, and handed her the wrapped bundle. "She's perfect. But how did you know she was a girl?"

"I..I just did.." The tiny girl was sound asleep in her arms, already with a cap of little blonde curls, so like her father's.

"She's beautiful.." said the nurse. "Where's her daddy? Is he at work?"

A single tear rolled down Murrue's cheek as she stroked her daughter's face. "Her daddy...he isn't here, but I'm sure he's watching.."

The nurse blanched. "Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't know...are you a widow?"

The woman shook her head slowly. "We..we weren't married. We were soldiers, you see. Her daddy..he was killed in battle. But I know that he's here with me somewhere..that he's always with me..."

That evening, Kira and Lacus came to visit, and Lacus smiled happily as she took the baby into her arms. "She's so cute, Murrue-san! What's her name?"

Murrue smiled, her fatigue clear to see. "Lily. Lily La Fllaga..." Kira grinned. "Mwu-san would have loved that, and he'd have been so proud. When Lily grows up, she'll be able to hear all about what a hero her father was..."

Later that night, after her guests had left, Murrue lifted her daughter in her arms, and carried her over to the window. The night was clear and warm, the moon shining brightly in the sky. The light made the baby stir and whimper, and Murrue rocked Lily back and forth, singing a soft lullaby. Halfway through the song, however, the woman began to cry, tears overflowing. Her baby...their baby. Lily's father was somewhere she could never see him, and he wouldn't be able to be by her side to watch her grow up. And..and...

The tears splashed onto Lily's head, and she opened her eyes, the orbs the exact same shade of cobalt blue as Mwu's. Then Murrue realised.

_He's still here. He is still alive, in my heart just like he promised. And he's here...part of him alive in our child._

Looking up into the night sky, Murrue smiled through her tears.

_Look, Mwu, here she is. This is our daughter. Can you see her?_

The stars seemed to twinkle in reply, and she could almost hear his voice, the deep, caring voice she loved so much.

_She's beautiful, Murrue..._

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( Awww...that wasn't much fun to write..

I'm planning a sequel to 'Surprises', and that will be cute and fluffy, so watch out for it!

Please read and review! )


	28. Understanding

(This be teh sequel to 'Surprises' that I promised. Enjoy XD )

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Peace had reigned for less than four weeks, but gradually, the people of the world were getting used to it. After a few weeks of camping on the floor of Kira and Lacus' house, Mwu and Murrue had found the perfect place to live, a tiny house near the beach, not too far away from everyone else, and close enough to work to commute.

Mwu was happy...more happy that he'd ever been in his life. For the first time, he was able to live in peace with his own family, people he loved..a far cry from the miserable childhood he now remembered better than he wished to. He was able to spend as much time with his beloved Murrue as he wanted, without them having to resort to just being together at night, or steal kisses when no-one was looking. And...and he had a child. Little Lily had been born after he had 'died', and until just a few weeks ago, he hadn't even known she'd existed. But when he had found out...

_I was so happy...my wish came true without me doing anything to deserve it. I left Murrue all alone to bring up our daughter..and she doesn't blame me for any of it..she forgives me..._

Mwu was a little uncertain around his daughter, not knowing how to act, or what to say to her. She was so tiny, not even a year and a half old. Just a baby, really. But she was so beautiful...just like her mother. He so looked forward to seeing her grow up, so be able to share her life. But there was one small problem...one cloud on the horizon.

Lily was afraid of him.

Murrue had reassured him that it would be all right. "Things will be fine. All she needs is time to get used to you, to get to know you, that's all.."

But he couldn't deny that it hurt. When Lily was sad, or got hurt, Murrue was always the one she ran to, not him. Logically, Mwu knew that it was because Murrue was all the little girl had known for all her life...but it still hurt.

One day, when Mwu was out at work at the pilot academy (Cagalli had found him the job, knowing it would be perfect for someone like him) Murrue took Lily to visit Kira-kun and Lacus-san, so she could play with the orphan children.

"Hello, Murrue-san" said Lacus softly. "We haven't seen you for a while. How are things?"

The older woman smiled, auburn hair blowing in the slight breeze. "It's taking a while to get used to it being the three of us, but it's all I ever wanted, and far more than I dreamed possible. But..."

Lacus frowned. "But?"

Murrue sighed. "Lily...she's scared of Mwu. And he has no idea what he should do. I know that these things take time, but the pain and sadness in his eyes when she runs away from him...it hurts him so much, and it hurts me too. I don't want things to be like this..."

Lily ran about with the orphans on the beach, laughing anfd giggling, and helping make sandcastles. One of the eldest, a small boy, looked down at the toddler. "That blonde man who was with your mommy the other day...big brother Kira says that man's your daddy. Is he really?" Lily just nodded, silent. "What's wrong?" the big boy asked.

The little girl's face wore a frightened expression. "He big...he scary.."

The boy frowned. "But big brother says he's real nice, and that he loves your mommy a lot. I don't think you should be scared of your daddy. You're real lucky...we don't have daddies _or _mommies anymore..."

Later that day, back at their own house, Lily was sitting on her mother's lap, and Murrue was reading to her.

"Mama?" asked the toddler, playing with the ends of Murrue's long auburn hair. "Is Papa nice?"

Her mama laughed, the soft sound Lily loved so much. "Of course he is. He's the nicest person I know."

"Not scary?"

"No, no, he's not scary. I know he looks scary because he's so big, but really, he's very nice. Like a big teddy bear. And he loves Lily very much.."

The little girl didn't say anything, just carried on playing with Murrue's hair.

That night..there was a storm. Rain lashed the little house, being blown by the wind that howled around and made the windows rattle. Thunder and lightning crashed in the heavens, the noise making Mwu awaken.

_Great. Just what I needed..._

Murrue was still asleep, and he was about to lie back down next to her, when a thought suddenly struck him. Lily. Was his daughter all right?

Tip-toeing into the tiny nursery, Mwu was surprised to see the little girl standing up in her cot, watching the brilliant flashes through the thin curtains, not scared in the least. "You okay?" he whispered. Lily nodded, blonde curls shaking. "Big bang not scary. Lily not scared...Mama scared."

Mwu chuckled. "Mama's scared? Shall we go find her then?" The toddler nodded, and held out her arms to be picked up.

Taken aback by this, Mwu reached down and lifted his daughter from the cot. Instead of arching away from him, as he had expected, she snuggled close. "Mama right" she whispered. The blonde man just stood there in the room for a few moments, unprepared for the warmth that had flowed through him at his little girl's hug. Placing a kiss on Lily's hair, he carried her into the room he shared with Murrue.

In the big bedroom, he almost laughed out loud at what he saw. His girlfriend wasn't even visible, just a lump under the bedclothes, her head under the pillow. At every crack of thunder, the lump flinched.

"So," said Mwu softly. "My captain isn't afraid to fight, isn't scared of being fired at, but she's...afraid of a thunderstorm?" Climbing into bed beside her, he shifted Lily so that she was resting in the crook of his left arm, and the tiny girl snuggled up against his shoulder.

"Murrue..." he whispered. "Murrue?"

A hand shot out from beneath the covers, grabbing onto his T-shirt. The man laughed. "Come here, silly.."

Slowly, head still under the pillow, the lump wriggled towards him, and nuzzled close, shivering slightly. Mwu lifted the pillow up a fraction. Her dark amber eyes were wide and scared, and he laughed. "Silly."

Lily giggled. "Mama scared.." Closing her blue eyes, she smiled again. "Papa nice..Mama right.." She fell asleep, breathing soft and even.

"You told her I was nice?" Murrue nodded, the movement making the pillow wobble. "I said that you were nice, not scary, and it looks like she's found that out now..this is just what I wanted." Mwu sighed. "She accepts me now...this is more than I'd hoped for.."

Another crack of thunder rang out, causing the brunette to flinch again, moving even closer.

"Here.." he said quietly. "I have a charm to help you not be scared.." She murmured something questioning, and he grinned, inching his head underneath the pillow. "This.." He kissed her softly, deepening the exchange as she returned it.

"That better?"

She nodded, closing her eyes. "Yes..thank you. Love you, Mwu.." she muttered drowsily, and he smiled again.

"Love you too, sweetheart..."

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( This might not be as good as I'd hoped, but I'm sick at the moment, so please bear with me...

Please read and review! )


	29. Confessions

( If this one is weird, it's because I thought it up when I had fever, so... )

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It was almost lunchtime. Looking at her watch, Murrue smiled happily as she wiped the oil from her hands with an old rag. He would be here soon.. She and Mwu had been married for a few weeks now, but it still only felt like a couple of days. He came to visit her every lunchtime, driving all the way from the academy just so they could eat lunch together. It was really sweet of him, but it still embarrassed her slightly, so they always went somewhere quiet and out of the way, so no-one would see.

Taking out the lunchbox from her bag stashed in the office, she was surprised by two strong arms wrapping around her, and kisses on her cheek, which made her giggle.

"Quit that! People could be watching!"

Mwu laughed, and kissed her again. "So? Let them watch..."

Cheeks bright pink, Murrue managed to push him off, and the two made their way to the overhead gantry in the main dock at the facility, sitting in a quiet corner. Sometimes they shared lunch, sometimes they ate their own, and sometimes they forgot to eat at all, just enjoying the other's company, even though they knew they would be together when they got home.

Erica smiled as she saw them sitting together, his arms wrapped around her. She remembered it had been the same when she had just been married, how she and her husband had been practically inseparable. That was why she didn't say anything to Murrue, even though him visiting her everyday for lunch was a breach of protocol...

A few hours later, Murrue was hard at work on the shipboard flight panel of _Kusanagi_, humming tunelessly to herself.

"Murrue?"

The auburn-haired woman jumped, and spun around to see her friend standing there. "Erica! You scared me!"

Erica grinned, and came to sit in the other pilot's seat. "So, I see things are going pretty well for you and your husband, huh?"

Murrue blushed, hiding her face behind a curtain of dark hair. "Well, I...er..." She fiddled nervously with the wedding ring she wore, not meeting her friend's eyes "Is...is it a problem? Him being here every day. I understand that he's not really meant to, but I..."

"It's fine, don't worry about it. So, when will you have your honeymoon?"

Murrue blinked. "Huh? We've already had it. Remember, we had to take our honeymoon before the wedding. We went to that ski resort..."

Erica sighed. "That's not much of a honeymoon...Okay, you're taking next week off."

"What?"

"Newlyweds need time alone together to get used to the idea of being married. That's what honeymoons are _for_. Trust me."

Murrue's marigold eyes were wide. "But...but...what about Mwu?"

Erica smiled again. "Don't worry about that. I bet I can persuade the academy big-wigs to let him take the week off too. Either stay at home, or book somewhere nice. Somewhere hot this time."

Murrue tried to protest, she really did, but it was no use. Even someone as stubborn as she was couldn't win against Erica once she had made her mind up...

That evening, Mwu was delighted when she told him the news. "Really? We get to have a proper honeymoon? Where shall we go this time?"

Together, the couple scanned brochures and advertisements, looking for the perfect place. They eventually settled on an out-of-the-way beach resort, where they could be alone together as much as they wanted, and they wouldn't be disturbed.

When they reached the resort the next week, they knew they had made the right choice. The hotel room was huge, luxurious, with a large bed, and an equally large bathtub. Mwu's face lit up, and he wrapped his arms around his wife, pulling her onto the bed.

"So..." he whispered in her ear, his breath tickling her neck. "What shall we do first?" Murrue laughed, trying to wiggle free.

"First, we can go for a walk..." she giggled, managing to escape his grasp. He pouted. "Awwww..."

But Murrue prevailed, and they were soon walking along the seashore in the moonlight, hands entwined, completely happy with the other's company. The resort town was tiny, with only a few shops and restaurants, so it didn't take long to explore, and soon the pair were on their way back to the hotel room.

"So, which shall we test out first? The bed, or the bathtub?" he asked quietly, hands caressing her waist. Murrue blushed. "I think...the bathtub first. But...not yet." She made her way to the balcony, eyes closing as the cool evening breeze washed over her.

"It's so peaceful here..." Mwu joined her, sitting on a chair as he looked out to sea, the view perfect.

"Are you glad we came here?" she asked softly, glancing at him. He nodded. "Yeah.."

But something seemed wrong. Murrue studied her husband for a few moments, watching as he looked at her, then away again. He never met her gaze.

"What is it?"

"Oh, nothing.." he replied quietly, looking away again. He was trying to hide something, but he really wasn't very good at it. Murrue could easily work out that Mwu wanted to tell her something, but he wasn't sure how to. His eyes were troubled, shifting to her, then away again.

"What is it?" she asked again. "You can tell me..." He shook his head, long blonde hair flying. "No. No, I can't..."

Murrue smiled. "Now, didn't I tell you that you could trust me with anything? Please?"

Taking a deep breath, Mwu began. He told Murrue all about the last two years, about the past he had kept hidden from her. Neo's past. Everything he was ashamed of, everything that still gave him nightmares. All his secrets, all the things he had done as Neo. It was very late night by the time he had finished, the moon high in the sky. He looked up at his wife, tears in his eyes. He'd needed to get it off his chest, but he wasn't sure whether telling her had been the right choice.

_I'm scared. I know I had to tell her, but..but..what if things are different now? What if she..._

Murrue's eyes were wide, the tears streaming down her cheeks as she pressed her hands to her mouth. Guilt stabbed through Mwu.

"I'm sorry.." he whispered. "I should have told you earlier, before the wedding. Then you could have decided whether you still wanted to marry me or not after the things you'd heard. I guess I was selfish..or scared. I should have told you before...but I wasn't able to before the wedding. I was afraid..that you'd reject me..."

He looked down. "It's your choice. Now..you know what I am, it's your choice..."

Murrue could hardly believe what she'd just heard...that he'd been made to do things like this during the last two years. No wonder he still had nightmares. Reaching out, she took his hand, squeezing it gently. The tears still fell, but she knew that however bad she felt, he had to be feeling much worse.

"It's okay, it's okay. Didn't I say that it wasn't your fault? That I'd forgive you no matter what?" He looked up at her, incredulous expression on his handsome face. "How? How could you forgive me for something like that?"

"Because I love you, and because that person..he wasn't you. No, hear me out.." she said, seeing that he was about to protest. "It was what you'd been ordered to do. You didn't know. If you'd had your memories, it would have been different. My Mwu would never do anything like that...and he didn't.." Murrue pulled him close, and he rested his head on her shoulder.

"You mustn't worry about it anymore. There's no way that I wouldn't have agreed to marry you, not even if I'd known all this before. So don't worry...it's all right.."

A few tears soaked into the blue dress she wore, then Mwu pulled away. "Thank you so much.." he whispered, his lips meeting hers in a grateful, loving kiss.

When they broke for air, she smiled. "There, you see? Everything's all right.You've been holding all that inside for so long...ever since the end of the war, and I'm glad you were finally able to tell me." Her smile grew. "You need to relax now. How about we try out that bathtub now?"

Mwu finally smiled back, the expression happy, relieved. "That sounds like a good idea to me. I wonder if it's big enough for two?"

Murrue giggled, cheeks pink. "We'll soon find out, won't we?"

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( Here we is. I wanted to write a story where Mwu was finally able to tell Murrue-san about the things he'd done as Neo-san. I don't have a clue how bad it really was, but given that he was under Djibril's direct command, my guess is that he must have been made to do some terrible things. But I'm sure that Murrue-san would forgive him no matter what...

Please read and review! )


	30. Happy Birthday

( Okay, I know it's nowhere near October, but I wanted to write a birthday fic for our Murrue-san. I don't think I've written one of these before, and a lot of people have already written about Mwu's birthday, so I didn't want to do that. Hope you like this one! )

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It started out like any other day. Just the two of them sitting at the kitchen table, eating breakfast, chatting about their plans for the day. No cards stood on the windowsills, no presents waited to be unwrapped...it was like today wasn't special at all.

But Murrue had insisted that no-one make a fuss about it, about it being her birthday. The only concession she had made was that she had agreed to take the day off work. And even though Mwu had also taken the day off, the auburn-haired woman had been more than slightly surprised that he had agreed to treat today like any other day. She had simply told him that their wedding had been the best present she could ever have, and since they'd only been married a week or so, he had just nodded, and smiled, accepting what she said.

Besides, what was so special about your 29th birthday?

Although outwardly, Mwu had agreed not to make a fuss of Murrue on her birthday, in reality, he had _plans_. How could he not celebrate his wife's special day? He knew perfectly well that even though she'd said all those things, in truth, she more than likely did want something to happen. And that's what he was going to do. He'd already bought her present, and arranged what was going to happen that night. It had taken lots of clandestine telephone calls to his friends, and to various other places, all done on his lunch breaks at work, so Murrue wouldn't get suspicious.

Everything had been planned out, down to the last little detail, almost like a military operation. The time and expense that had gone into all this had confused Kira slightly.

_"Mwu-san, are you sure that this is okay? That present looks expensive, and what you've planned isn't cheap either. And it's only been a few days since the wedding..."_

_The blonde man laughed, but the laugh was strangely devoid of humour. "You'd be surprised. It's funny how much you get paid for being a puppet..." The boy blinked. "You mean...from the Alliance?"_

_"Yeah. It feels like...blood money. But somehow...I thought that if I spent it on **her**...it might cancel that out. Sounds weird, I know, but.."_

_Kira smiled. "No, actually that makes a lot of sense."_

That night, Mwu and Murrue sat together in the garden, the sunset painting the trees and flowers hues of orange and red. It was peaceful, quiet, the only sounds heard the chirps of birds and crickets, and their own breathing. That is, until Mwu spoke up.

"Hey, I just remembered. The princess asked if we could both drop by hers tonight, something about dinner. I think it's a birthday party for one of those orphan kids she looks after, and she asked us to dress up for it. That okay?"

Murrue raised an eyebrow. "And it isn't..." He held up his hands in surrender. "It's nothing like that, honest! She knows you don't want anything like that. But..she was really looking forward to it. Please?"

Murrue sighed. "All right..."

Later, Murrue stood in the room she shared with her husband, getting ready for the dinner. She was already in her favourite dress, and her newly-washed dark hair was tied up into a clip. But the woman in the mirror looked troubled, saddened. Even though she'd told everyone that she didn't want a fuss making, in reality...she kind of did.

_It's the first time...that Mwu's ever been able to be here to share my birthday. That makes it special..._

She hadn't said anything, but she'd been sad that he'd agreed to treat today like any other day. After all...they were married now. Sighing, Murrue rubbed the smooth surface of the wedding band she wore, as she had become prone to do whenever she felt worried or insecure.

"What's wrong, sweetheart?"

She turned her head to look at Mwu. The two of them sat in the car, speeding through the light evening traffic. Her husband looked concerned, and she smiled to reassure him. "Oh, nothing. Just thinking is all.." He smiled, and as the car reached a fork in the road, he took the right turning, the one that led to the city.

"What...where are we going?" He didn't answer her, the grin still on his boyish face. It was then that she noticed how smart he looked, much smarter than she had expected or imagined. The small car sped through the city, bright lights twinkling around them, until it pulled up beside a restaurant...one of the best in the whole city.

"Mwu...what?..." He laughed, and, getting out of the car and opening her door, held out his hand to her, ready to escort her.

"Here, come on. Everyone's waiting..."

Inside the restaurant..she could see what he meant. A long table was lined up against the wall, covered with flowers, with a perfect view of the outside courtyard, where a tiny fountain sent water dancing in an elaborate display. And around the table...was everyone. All her friends, everyone. Kira-kun, Lacus-san, Athrun-kun...even Cagalli-san was there. And as she approached the table, they all smiled, and raised their glasses. "Happy birthday, Murrue-san!"

Tears built up in the woman's marigold eyes, and she clutched tighter to Mwu's hand. "Didn't I say...that you weren't to..." That was as much as she could manage to say, and she buried her face in Mwu's shoulder, tears streaming down her cheeks.

He rubbed her back gently. "You okay?" She nodded, face still hidden. Kira smiled. "All this..everything was Mwu-san's idea. He planned all of this, and arranged everything."

Murrue looked up at Mwu, tears still falling. "Thank you...thank you so much..."

He just chuckled softly. "So you _did_ want a fuss making, after all?"

The party was a riotous affair, with every kind of food imaginable, laughing and joking, teasing about getting older, handing out presents. Murrue sat at the centre of the table as the guest of honour, happy beyond belief. Everyone had gone to so much trouble...just for her. The restaurant was beautiful, the food was delicious...and the cake...

The cake was enormous, an exquisitely made strawberry shortcake, complete with twenty-nine candles. She had blushed a little at that, especially when Mwu had teased her again. But then...

_"Hey, Mwu-san? How can you tease Murrue-san about that when you're older than she is? Aren't you thirty-one soon?"_

Mwu hadn't been sure how to answer that, and everyone had laughed.

Much later that night, as they drove home, she rested her head on Mwu's shoulder as he drove, eyes closed.

"Did you enjoy tonight?"

She opened her eyes a fraction, and smiled happily. "Yes. Very much. Thank you.."

"You're welcome, princess. I had to do something, didn't I? This is the first time I've ever been able to be with you on your birthday, and I wanted it to be special.."

The car sped along the coastal road, until the road climbed steeply to where it passed near the edge of a cliff. It was at this spot that Mwu pulled over. "Here we are. Come on..."

Confused, Murrue got out of the car to join him. The night was clear, with no moon, the only light from millions of stars twinkling in the sky, and a lighthouse in the distance. The view over the sea was spectacular.

"Here..I wanted to give you my present when we were alone..." The starlight shone in his blue eyes, and Murrue could clearly make out the happy smile on his face. Mwu held out a small velvet box. "Happy birthday..."

She took the box from him, feeling the smooth velvet between her thin fingers. Popping the catch, she gasped in amazement and wonder.

Inside the box was a necklace, a shining gold locket in the shape of a heart. A diamond flower glittered at it's centre, reflecting the silver light.

Mwu's smile grew as he watched Murrue's dark eyes widen, and colour rush to her face.

_I wasn't sure if this was the right idea or not, whether she'd want to accept something like this. But...I had to try._

"I know...that you already have a locket, the one he gave you. But I saw this...and I thought that it would suit you so well. Is...is that okay? Do you like it?"

His wife looked up at him, tears in her eyes again. But they weren't tears of sorrow, he noted in relief, rather, they were tears of happiness. "It..it's so beautiful!"

Taking the locket from the box, he carefully fastened it around Murrue's neck. She looked down at the trinket, and fingered the cool metal, as if she couldn't quite believe that it was there.

"That's just why I thought it was perfect for you. Since you're so beautiful, I had to get you something that could compare, to you, didn't I? Or at least try, since I don't think there's anything that could be _that_ beautiful..."

Murrue's cheeks flushed deeper pink. "Stop being silly, Mwu...But...thank you so much!" She wrapped her arms around him, nestling her head on his shoulder, and Mwu willingly returned the embrace. "Happy birthday, sweetheart.." he whispered again, nuzzling into her thick auburn hair.

"How is it..." she murmured, voice muffled, "that you always know what I wish for..what's in my heart?"

"Like I told you..it's because I'm special. And because I love you.." he replied. Pulling away a little, she looked up at him, tears glistening once more. "I love you, too..."

_I wonder if every birthday from now on will be as happy as this one has been?_

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( I think I may have overdone the fluff a wee bit too much there. But hey, who cares, right?

Please read and review! )


	31. Confidence

( Glad you liked Murrue-san's birthday XD. Wish mine had been like that. (Flu and work do not a great 23rd birthday make T T) )

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The sun had almost disappeared, the flaming orange disc barely visible above the horizon. In the approaching twilight, two people stood on the outer deck of the battleship _Archangel_, both silent, both lost in thought. The man, in particular, was wondering just how things had come to be like this, how he had ended up asking to become part of this crew. And he also wondered why...he had hugged her, this ship's captain, like he had. For some reason, it had felt right, something he'd needed to do...something that had been waiting to happen. But why? Why had he done it? And why had...he wanted to stay here so badly? He knew part of it was because of her, but..why had she _let_ him stay?

"Thank you.." said Neo quietly. The captain turned to him in surprise, the fading sunlight shining in her dark amber eyes. "For what?"

He sighed. "For...for letting me stay here. Even though I was supposed to leave, even though my being here causes you sadness, you still let me stay here with you. Why...why would you?"

The captain smiled a little. The expression was rather wistful and sad, but it was a smile, the first one Neo had ever seen from her. "Because you asked to. And because..you seem so different now...different from the way you were when you were first brought here.. Sort of..lost."

Neo looked out at the sun, long blonde hair fluttering in the slight breeze. She was right. He _was_ different now. He wasn't sure whether it was due to this ship, it's crew, or himself being away from the Alliance, but he was different.

_If I went back to the Alliance now..what would happen? I...I...would I fit in there now?_

Since being on this ship, he had changed, without knowing it. It was only now he had begun to realise it. It was like...he had discovered parts of himself he hadn't known existed.

Before, Neo had had confidence in who he was, where he had come from, and his abilities. But confidence was all there had been. No pride in his accomplishments, no satisfaction, in fact, he'd hardly ever shown emotion at all. Emotions, feelings...they had been considered a weakness, and he had understood why. Show any sign of weakness and it would be taken advantage of. So Neo had hidden his feelings away, aside from a vague fondness for the Extended children. Kept himself aloof and distant so he couldn't be used any more than he already had been...

But here, on this ship...those hidden emotions had come to the surface easily. At first..it had only been the dark feelings, anger, bitterness, confusion, remorse..they had all hit him at once. Neo had known who he was, what he was, and these...people, why did they keep saying that he was someone else? That in reality, _this_ was his ship, his home, and they were his friends?

_I didn't need...didn't want friends. Friends were a luxury I couldn't afford, being who I was._

But gradually...as his self-confidence began to crumble, the walls that hid away his better side, his lighter side, also began to wither away. He had begun to express compassion, kindness, yes, almost _friendship_, towards his captors. And as his belief in himself as Neo Lorrnoke of the Earth Alliance began to disappear, the things and people around him started to become more familiar...especially **her**.

So on that clifftop earlier today, when the captain had released him from captivity, when she had let him go, all Neo had felt, rather than elation at being free to go back to the Alliance, was confusion and regret. Did he _want_ to go back? All he'd had left was the confidence in his own abilities as a pilot, and an overwhelming feeling that he knew this captain somehow, that she was special. Everything else, everything he'd thought he'd known..seemed as solid as a spider's web. So what else could he have done..but stay with these people? Stay with her?

When he'd fought in the Skygrasper...it had been the strangest thing. He'd felt..like someone else, like another person was living through him in that battle. Someone Neo knew..but didn't. And the things he had said...

_'After all..I'm the man who can make the impossible possible!'_

Why had he said that? Where had it come from? His voice..it had sounded so proud, so cheerfully arrogant. That wasn't him, that couldn't have been him. But...he **had** said it.

He couldn't suppress a chuckle.

Murrue turned to face the blonde Colonel, startled at hearing his laugh. He was smiling, the first time she had ever seen him smile. The expression was so like Mwu's, she couldn't help smiling back a little. The sky was dark now, twilight long past. The moon hung in the sky, surrounded by stars.

"I just realised.." he said softly. "What I said before, back there in the battle. It sounded so arrogant..I'm sorry about that."

Murrue frowned. "What did?"

The Colonel's smile became rueful, and he slumped forward onto the deck railing. "What I said about being able to make the impossible possible. Sorry."

Murrue blinked for a moment, then smiled again. "Arrogance, huh? It sounded like arrogance to you?"

The Colonel looked up. "Well, yeah. What else could it have been?"

The woman pushed back her auburn hair. "I suppose it might sound that way. But don't you think...that it's more like confidence than arrogance? Isn't it a good thing to believe that there's nothing you can't do? That nothing's impossible?"

He looked thoughtful for a moment. "I didn't think of it like that. But really, who believes something like that?"

"I knew someone who believed it with all his heart, that he really _could_ make the impossible possible. And he proved it, more than once. I always believed that he could, as well..."

Neo glanced at the woman. Her words sounded sad, but at the same time, full of such pride and happiness, those beautiful eyes shining.

"I see. Then I'll try and believe it too."

She smiled at him, the corners of her mouth turning up slightly. "Then I think you'll fit in well here.."

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( Randomness, ne? Lol.

Please read and review! )


	32. The Morning After

_Where am I?_

She didn't know where she was, and right now, she didn't much care. All she knew, all she wanted to know, was that she felt safe. Warm and protected for the first time in a long time. She had no idea why she felt this way, but she didn't want to wake up and find out. A small smile on her face, she snuggled closer, arms wrapped around the one who held her.

_Wait a moment. Back up there. Someone holding me?_

Marigold eyes snapped open, and Murrue sat up in shock. This wasn't her room, her bed, and beside her...Her cheeks flushed crimson. Slipping out of the bed, she made her way to the bathroom to run cold water over her face. Staring at her reflection in the mirror, Murrue sighed.

_Last night...I stayed here, spent the night with the Commander - with Mwu. I knew...that our relationship would eventually reach this stage..but...I don't know. Should it have happened so soon? What should I do now, what will happen? Things can't ever be the same between us now. And what..what about **him**? I betrayed his memory again.._

Or had she? Surely..he wouldn't mind if she was happy again? If she found someone else to love? After he'd died, all her friends had said the same thing, that she needed to find someone else who would love her. That he wouldn't blame her, would want her to be happy. But she hadn't wanted that then, had preferred to hide herself away from love, afraid of what might happen. But now...

Now it was different. She _was_ happy with the Commander, she loved him and wanted to be with him, whatever happened. Of course, she knew that this might not last, that things could change in the blinking of an eye in wartime. That thought frightened her, but in spite of that (or maybe because of it) Murrue wanted to stay with him. To be as happy as she could for as long as she could...

_Last night...he said he would take care of me, that I wasn't alone as long as I had my friends, and him. He knows me better than I thought..he knows I don't want to be alone. I feel...safe...with him..._

Wrapping a towel around herself, Murrue made her way back out into the main part of the room, pausing to gather up her uniform from where it had fallen, casually discarded the night before. Draping her jacket around her bare shoulders, she moved to leave, to slip across the hallway separating his room from hers. It was still very early morning, and no-one would be around to see her. The Commander would be sad that she had gone, though...

Even though she knew it would be easier to just leave, Murrue still found herself moving across to where the Commander lay still asleep, sitting on the bed beside him. The blonde man's handsome face wore a small smile, and his breathing was soft and even. Without knowing it, Murrue smiled too. Last night, he had been so different compared to the way he usually was. Normally she knew the Commander to be boisterous, noisy, sometimes almost childish. But last night...

_Last night he was...so gentle, so attentive. Nothing like his everyday behaviour. And...I wasn't prepared for how safe, how protected I felt.. _She sighed. _I don't want to leave yet..._

Reaching out, she brushed her fingers lightly against his smooth cheek, then ran them through his thick golden hair, stifling a giggle when his sleepy smile grew. His arm reached out in slumber to where she had been lying next to him a little while before, and Murrue took his hand.

_This is the last thing I expected when I came on board this ship. I didn't want...didn't expect, to fall in love after what happened before. I was scared at first, scared of how strong my feelings for him were becoming. But..I was drawn to him. We were drawn to each other..._

Leaning down, Murrue gently kissed the Commander on the lips. She hadn't been intending to wake him up, but that was the reaction she got. His blue eyes fluttered open, registering surprise when they saw who was above him, then happiness. Reaching up with his free hand, he stroked Murrue's lips with his fingers.

"Hey, beautiful. Good morning. You all right?" he asked softly, smiling. Murrue smiled back. "Yes, thank you. And you?"

His smile grew. "Just great. I'm glad that you're okay...with everything, with what happened last night.."

She nodded, cheeks pinking. Sitting up, the Commander kissed her, taking his time.

When they broke for air, he noticed the clothing in her arms. "Are you leaving now?" His smile faded. "You don't have to go yet..please stay a while longer.."

Murrue looked down. "I just wanted..before everyone else wakes up..." He pulled her into a hug, hands caressing her long auburn hair. "I understand. But...it's still so early..aren't you tired?"

"A little. But I'll be okay..." She yawned, making him laugh. "Really? Here, come on.." The Commander lifted the bedcovers, inviting her back. "Let's get some more sleep..."

Murrue sighed. _I am still sleepy...but I wanted to be back in my own room before everyone else woke up and had a chance of seeing me..._But the bed..and his embrace..they'd been so warm..

She yawned again.

"Wh-what about later..?" she made a token effort to protest. "What about when I have to go back to my own quarters? What if people..." She was cut off when the Commander placed a finger over her lips, his blue eyes twinkling.

"Don't worry," he said. "I'll make sure there's no-one around. It'll be okay, I promise..." Removing the pile of clothing from Murrue's arms, he placed it on the chair beside his bed, including the uniform jacket she had draped around herself.

"Now, come on, try and get some more sleep..." He took her into his arms, and back down into the bed.

"I hope...no-one finds out..." she murmured, snuggling closer to him drowsily. He smiled, planting a soft kiss on the top of her head. "I wouldn't mind..if everyone found out that I loved you.." he whispered, chuckling as he noticed that even after all her protests, his lover had fallen asleep almost immediately.

"I could get used to this..."

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( I just thought it would be funny to see Murrue-san's OMGWTF reaction when she woke up the first morning after she and Mwu got off with each other XD. It might not make a whole lot of sense, but I liked writing it.

Please read and review! )


	33. Party

_Two weeks to go..._

Murrue hummed to herself as she sat at her little dressing table, applying make-up. She was almost ready to go. Her outfit was perfect, her hair was pulled back, and she'd even got a little perfume on. All she needed now was to finish the make-up.

"Hey..you look great!"

Smiling at the familiar voice, she turned around. Mwu was standing in the bedroom doorway, blue eyes wide. "Whatcha dressed up for?" He sidled into the room and leaned over her shoulder, trying to plant a kiss on her cheek as she worked.

Murrue tried to push him away, but he stayed where he was, playing with the little tufts of dark hair at the back of her neck, which made colour race to her cheeks. "Stop that!" she laughed. "I'm going out! Everyone...my friends..they've arranged for us all to go out. It's my..bachelorette party.."

Mwu's face lit up in a smile. "Really? That sounds like fun. Can I come too?" Murrue giggled. "No, of course not! It's girls only!" He pouted, wrapping his arms around her waist and trying to kiss her neck. "Awww...please?"

She laughed harder, trying to escape the hold of his strong arms. "No!" Finally wriggling free, she grabbed her clutch bag from the dressing table just as the doorbell rang.

"Now, I have to go. I won't be long, I promise. I love you..." she said gently, standing on her tiptoes to give him a brief loving kiss.

Then she was gone.

Mwu sighed, slouching over to the sofa to watch TV. His scarred face wore an expression of dejection as he realised how boring and lonely it would be in the large house without his fiancee.

_She left me all alone, just like that...but then again, it won't be for long..._

After she and Miriallia made their way into the city, they met up with Lacus and Meyrin at a karaoke bar. They had planned to spend a couple of hours here before the party started for real, so they didn't drink all that much. (and Meyrin wasn't old enough to drink anyway). They laughed, and danced to some of the better attempts at singing, and they all had a turn at singing themselves. Of course, only Lacus was any good, and she soon drew a large crowd of slightly drunken spectators who were amazed to see PLANT's pop idol princess somewhere like this.

After a few hours, the rest of the party turned up, mostly female _Archangel_ crew members, and now the celebration could begin for real...the pub crawl. The large and noisy group of women surged from one bar to the next, laughing and giggling, making comments about the guys they passed, waving bottles of alcohol.

Murrue was in the centre of this group, joking with her friends and former crewmates, and drinking more than almost everyone.

"Murrue-san..are you sure you should be drinking so much?" asked Lacus cautiously, watching her older friend chug a bottle of something electric blue. Murrue grinned, her cheeks flushed pink already. "Oh yeah, I'm just fine!"

In the next bar, the crowd of women descended on a group of tables, ordering more drinks.

"So, Murrue-san.." said one of them. "Got any plans for the wedding night?" The bride-to-be flushed and looked at her feet, drawing shrieks of laughter from the others. "Why are you being shy? You should have heard some of the rumours about you two going around the ship.." Murrue's blush deepened, but she smiled. "It's a secret..."

The squeals of laughter and ribald comments that followed this statement drew attention from some guys in the bar who had imbibed a little too much. Lurching unsteadily towards the table the party was at, one of them grinned, the alcohol fumes from his person making eyes water.

"Sooo..hen night, huh?" he slurred. "So which one of you lovely ladies is the bride to be, huh?"

Silently, the women pointed to Murrue, who tried to hide behind Miriallia. The guy's smile grew. "Heeyy..you're hot. Wanna come dance with me, sweetie? Have some fun before you get married?"

Murrue shrank back. "Uhhhh...no thank you, I'm fine.." The guy loomed closer, leering at her. "Awww..come on..." Leaning in, he tried to kiss her, despite the crowd of women trying to push him away. Murrue scowled. "Leave me alone!" Grabbing the drunken man's arm, she flipped him onto his back. He landed hard, out like a light from the moment he hit the floor.

His friends were amazed, and more than a little mad. "The hell? What'd you do that for?" The woman raised an eyebrow, pushing back dark auburn hair from her face."He started it!"

After a quick explanation to the bar owner, and some cash to cover the damages, the party set off again, to the next bar. But the alcohol intake was beginning to wind down now, the girls weren't drinking as much, and even Murrue was beginning to falter. After the last bar, the group of women found a takeaway, and bought things to eat, for some of them, the first things they'd eaten since the night out began. But Murrue's heart wasn't in it anymore. Even though this was her party, she'd had enough. It was very early morning, she was tired, she missed Mwu, and she just wanted to go home... A lot of the other girls were the worse for wear as well, so they all decided to call it a night. Lacus was more drunk than anyone had ever seen her, as was Miriallia. Murrue herself could at least stand up, but she couldn't see straight anymore...

At home, he was waiting for her. Still sitting on the sofa, Mwu was reading a magazine, cup of coffee on the table in front of him.

_It's really late now...I hope she's all right..._

The sound of the door softly closing and being locked came to his ears, and he smiled in relief. His fiancee made her way slowly up the stairs, and wandered into the bathroom, and Mwu handed her a nightdress to put on.

A few moments later, Murrue came out. Her dark hair was free from it's restraints, and her face was scrubbed clean of make-up. Her cheeks were rosy, and with the white nightgown, she looked like a tired little girl. Her large marigold eyes were half-closed with fatigue, and she just fell into Mwu's arms, murmuring happily as he lifted her up.

"Hi, sweetheart. Did you have a good time?" he asked softly, kissing the top of her head. Murrue nodded. "It was fun. Missed you, though.."

"What did you do?"

She smiled sleepily. "We drank some...well, a lot. And some guy tried to kiss me..." Mwu frowned. "Really? What happened?"

"He was drunk..didn't know when to quit. So I kicked his ass..." The blonde man laughed, and turned to carry Murrue up the little stairs. "Come on, I think you need some sleep."

But she shook her head, trying to get free. "Don't wanna...not sleepy..." She pouted childishly, almost sulking, which made Mwu laugh more. "Don't be silly. Come on.."

She wriggled around, shaking her head. "No!" He sighed, and kissed her, increasing the intensity of the kiss until she forgot all about struggling, and kissed him back. "No fair..." she muttered after they had broken for air.

"You need your sleep. You'll have a headache in the morning as it is..." Murrue still didn't look happy, but she gave in, and Mwu carried her up to bed.

As they lay there together, she snuggled up to him, wrapping thin arms around him.

"I think...that I could have stayed out longer, but I came back...because I missed you, I wanted to see you. I wish...I'd let you come along..." Her dark eyes fluttered closed, and she fell fast asleep.

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( Lol. They call those kind of parties 'hen nights' in this country, and they involve much partaking of alcohol. And sometimes fancy dress. The men's versions are 'stag nights' and often include the groom-to-be waking up miles from home with only an orange traffic cone, or being handcuffed to a bus stop, or something like that...

As to why I wrote this...dammed if I know XD. But it was fun.

Please read and review! )


	34. Getting To Know You

It was late morning in Orb, and the day was bright and sunny. The _Archangel_ sat in dry dock at Morgenroete, still being repaired. The ship had been there for a fortnight, and the repairs and supplies were now almost complete. The ship's captain sat outside on the upper deck, sheltered from the sea breeze. The sun was warm, and she had removed her jacket, and also her shoes and stockings. A glass of juice sat by her side, as well as an energy bar.

_Working outside is the best when the weather's like this..._She closed her eyes and set down the clipboard she was working from, enjoying the sunlight.

Inside the ship, someone was searching for the Captain. Neo wandered through the halls, not really sure where he was going, or even what he'd do when he found who he was looking for. He never asked anyone if they knew where she was, not wanting the knowing looks and laughter that would be people's responses. It always happened, like they could somehow see how Neo felt about the captain, even though he'd never told anyone...

Moving down a hallway, Neo stopped when he reached the mess hall. That kid...Kira, wasn't it? And that pink-haired princess he dated. They were there, and smiled when they saw him.

"Oh, hi, Mwu-san!" called the boy. "We don't see you here much..." He pointed upwards. "I think Murrue-san's outside on deck."

Neo blinked. "Huh? I..." The princess giggled. "You were looking for her, weren't you? You two are always together now.."

Embarrassed, Neo sidled out of the door and made his getaway, wondering why it was that everyone on this ship could see through him so easily...

Back in the mess hall, both Kira and Lacus began laughing at the older man's discomfort, then Lacus looked thoughtful. "But it's rather sweet. The Colonel and Murrue-san have been almost inseparable since he joined this crew, and it's so nice to see Murrue-san happy again. Perhaps even if the Colonel never remembers who he's meant to be, things will still be all right?" Kira nodded. "I'm sure Mwu-san will remember eventually, but even if he doesn't..."

Following the directions one of the crewmembers gave him, Neo stepped out onto the upper deck, smiling at the warmth of the sun. Turning his head, he saw the captain sitting off to the side, juice and paperwork beside her. Her dark eyes were closed, long lashes fanning her cheeks, which were flushed slightly pink by the sun. And she was smiling. The resulting vision almost took Neo's breath away...especially the sight of her bare legs...

_She looks so beautiful..._

Hearing his footsteps, she opened her amber eyes and looked up at him, her smile growing. "Good morning.." she said softly.

"Good morning, Captain," replied Neo, his own smile broadening. "Do you mind if I join you?"

"Of course not.." she replied, making space for the man to sit down.

Murrue watched as the Colonel sat down beside her and sighed, closing his own blue eyes. She couldn't hold back a giggle as she saw his contented smile. "You like the sun, huh?" He nodded, not opening his eyes. "I've never really had chance to feel the sun on my face..I never took that mask off while I was outside..."

Murrue frowned. She remembered that mask from when they had first picked up the Colonel. She hadn't liked it one bit, and had left it where it had fallen. "Why not?"

He sighed. "It was an order. I never understood it, but I guess it was due to who I look like. Plus..I didn't really want people asking questions about my scars...questions I didn't know how to answer..."

Pulling his uniform jacket off, he leaned against the wall, a stray breeze stirring his long blonde locks. Murrue leaned back too, pushing dark auburn hair behind her ear.

"What else is there I don't know? About you?" she asked, causing the man to open his eyes and look at her in surprise.

"About me? There isn't really much to tell. I don't remember anything previous to the last two years, you see. I was told who I was, where I came from, that sort of thing, and I read my file. But I'm not sure how much I was told is real, and how much was invented..."

_You probably know more about my past than I do..._

Neo smiled at his captain, who's expression was sympathetic and kind after the things he had told her. "And what about you? Now you know all there is to know about me, but I don't know anything about you. Where does my new captain come from? And how did she get here?"

Taking a sip of her juice, she smiled. "It's not very interesting. As to where I come from...well, originally I come from California. I used to be an engineering instructor while I was on reserve in the army."

Neo laughed. "You were a teacher? I can just picture it. I bet you were great at that.." The captain didn't reply to that, her cheeks flushing pink. "W-well, when war broke out the first time around, I ended up back on active service as an engineer..but I ended up as captain of this ship when almost all the senior officers were killed. We managed to make it to Alaska, though..."

The man's blue eyes widened. "You mean JOSH-A? You guys..this ship...you were part of the Alliance?"

_Now I know why a lot of the workstations and places on this ship are laid out in such a familiar way. And why...she was wearing that uniform in the photograph I found..._"What happened?"

The captain scowled, the expression seeming alien to her fair face. "The Alliance...they abandoned us. Left us to die at Alaska. We couldn't...when we found out, we couldn't stay there. So...we left." Neo nodded, finally understanding, and becoming a little angry at the Alliance for what had happened.

_They're deserters. But then again...now so am I...And they had good reason..._

"We made it to space, with the Orb military's help, and we fought alongside them, fought both ZAFT and the Alliance for a future where everyone could live together in peace, whether they were Natural or Coordinator. And when the war finally ended...we came back here."

She looked rather sad, as if remembering something she'd rather not have thought about. Neo smiled softly, realising that although she hadn't mentioned Mwu, she was most likely thinking about him.

"I see," he said thoughtfully. "So you - we - are fighting for the same thing again?" She nodded. "Yes. But hopefully we can achieve lasting peace this time..."

Leaning back against the wall again, Neo grinned. "So, now I know about my captain. But is she happy?"

"Happy?"

"Yeah. When I first met you - when I was first brought here, you were so sad. I understand that...it was my fault, and I'm sorry about that. But now...you seem happier. You smile more, and I've seen that it makes everyone else happy too. This crew loves you..." The captain blushed again at that, and he chuckled. "Really, they do!" _**I** love you..._

"Thank you..." she said quietly. "Yes, I'm happier now. And you are too, aren't you?"

He blinked. "Me?"

"Yes, you. When you were first here, you were always so angry. And very rude. I know you were a prisoner then, but still...Now you're so different. Cheerful and friendly. It's a nice change..." Neo beamed, delighted. "Really?" He was so happy that people had noticed this...that **she** had noticed...

"I'm happy that I can stay here, and very happy that I don't have to wear that mask anymore. I feel much better without it..."

Without realising, Murrue muttered "You _look_ much better without it..."...then realised what she had said.

The Colonel did what was almost a double-take, then leaned in close. "What was that?" Murrue looked away, face crimson. "N-nothing..I didn't say anything!" Her voice was almost a squeak, and he laughed.

"So you like the way I look, huh? Am I handsome?" he teased. She couldn't bring herself to reply to that, instead staring into her glass of juice, thankful for the dark hair which hid her face. Her cheeks felt like they were burning.

"Oh, that's right, I almost forgot. There _is _one more thing I'd like to know about my captain, if that's all right." he said, smiling.

"W-what is it?" _Please don't ask me if I like you...because then I won't know what to say..._

"What's your name? I think I've heard that kid Kira mention it, but I wanted to ask you myself. I won't call you by it, but all I know you as is 'Captain Ramius'. You know my name, so...can you tell me yours?"

His expression was so earnest, so...kind, that Murrue had to look away again. _Why do you have to be so like Mwu?_

"M-Murrue...my name is Murrue..." she stuttered. The Colonel slipped an arm around her shoulder.

"That's a beautiful name...thank you for telling me. Now..we're friends, aren't we? And we can be happy together, because we're friends."

Both of them secretly wished, as they sat there together in the sunlight, that one day they could perhaps be more than friends, but neither of them let the other know...

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( XD. I like writing Neo-san stories. I love how sweet he is after he joins the _Archangel_ crew! And he really likes Murrue-san as well...About Murrue-san's past, I heard that rumour from irishdragon, about her being a teacher in California before the war. I don't know how much of it is true, but I know Paladin of Freedom included part of it in their story 'Gundam Seed Renaissance' (which is an awesome story, by the way).

Plus, I wanted to make it where Neo-san and Murrue-san could find out a little about each other, and become better friends...

Please read and review! )


	35. Stages

_Where **is** he?_

The captain of the _Archangel_ stormed down the corridors of her ship, anger growing by the minute. Why was it that whenever she needed to find the Commander, he was nowhere to be seen, yet when she didn't need to see him, he was always hanging around, sitting on the bridge, or teasing her? But now...she couldn't find him. Murrue marched down the corridors, checking every single place he might be. The crew, seeing her expression, scattered right and left as she walked, not wanting to get in her way when she was so angry.

In the hangar bay, Mwu was hiding. He tried not to make it _look_ like he was hiding, but that's exactly what he was doing, and everyone knew. Murdoch laughed as the tall blonde man practically cowered behind the Skygrasper.

"You know, that's not going to help. She'll find you..." Mwu pretended not to hear him, until...

"Commander!" The man went visibly pale, and he shrank down beside the fighter jet, in a vain attempt to hide. But...it was no use. The Captain stormed straight to where he was hiding, waving a sheaf of papers threateningly in his face.

"How long were you going to leave these like this? They need to be filled in!" The papers, a mixture of maintenance logs and damage reports, fluttered an inch from Mwu's nose, and he gulped. Scratching the back of his neck, Mwu laughed nervously. "Uh...Captain, I..."

Murrue raised an eyebrow as she listened to the Commander's excuses. Not one of them was at all convincing. She sighed.

_There's more to being a pilot than just flying around being a hero. You also have to pick up after yourself and fill in the checks on the machine you used. Otherwise, how will the mechanics know what to fix? But this...he's like a child avoiding homework or something.._

_Threatening him won't work. Time for another tack..._

"Come on, follow me. You've left this long enough..." Beckoning to him, the Captain began to make her way out of the hangar. Mwu tried to hide again, but the glare she gave him made his blood run cold. Shoulders slumped, he slowly followed her out of the hangar, the laughter of the mechanics ringing in his ears.

As they reached her office, the Captain wordlessly pointed to her desk. Mwu blinked, surprised. "Why here? I can do this at my own desk, in my room..." But the auburn-haired woman shook her head. "No, you can stay here. If you go to your own room, how do I trust that you won't just read a magazine, or sleep, or something? Here, I can keep an eye on you, and make sure you finish this." Turning, she locked the office door. Mwu grinned. "Why, Captain...people will talk.."

"No, they won't." she answered shortly, not looking at him. "Everyone knows that you need to do this." She smiled at him, a sugary-sweet smile that somehow frightened Mwu more than her anger. "Now come on, get to work."

Miserably, Mwu did as he was told, blue eyes downcast. The locked door really wasn't much of a threat, he could easily get out if he wanted to, but...he daren't cross her. The Captain was sitting on the sofa in the office, book in hand, reading quietly. But Mwu had no doubt that she was keeping watch on him...

Several hours later, the blonde man was disturbed from his work by a 'thump'. Looking up, he grinned. The book had fallen to the floor, and the Captain's head was resting on the back of the sofa...she was fast asleep.

"Either she was real tired, or keeping an eye on me is boring..." he mused quietly as he finished up the reports. Placing them in a neat pile on the desk, Mwu stood up, tugging a blanket from a cupboard.

Gently taking the captain by the shoulders, he laid her down on the sofa, covering her slender body with the blanket. She murmured something incoherent, and the man chuckled, standing and watching her sleep for a few minutes.

Her cheeks were slightly flushed, and her dark hair fell over her face, making Mwu smile tenderly.

_She really is beautiful..the most beautiful woman I've ever met. And she looks adorable when she's sleeping..._

Leaning down, he brushed the stray lock of hair from her face, and tucked the blanket around her tighter. Then quietly, he unlocked the door and stole away.

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_Several weeks later..._

Mwu was working on Strike when he suddenly felt a light tap on the head. The Captain stood behind him, sheaf of papers in hand once more, but this time, she didn't look so angry. More like...embarrassed. He smiled.

"Hi, Captain, can I help you?" he teased, his smile broadening as pink stole onto her cheeks. Recovering herself, she nodded.

"You left your paperwork again..you have to finish it."

Mwu sighed. "Okay..if I have to..." Meekly, he followed the woman to her office again. Murrue-san was still rather scary when she lost her temper, but the fear was now countered by the way he felt about her now...

As they made their way towards their destination, Murrue kept glancing up at the one who walked beside her, smiling a little.

_He's so handsome..but the downside is now I have trouble being angry with him..._

They had only begun their relationship a few days before, and both of them were still a little nervous around each other. Although they'd agreed to keep things secret from the rest of the crew, Murrue in particular felt very self-conscious when she was with the Commander. She tried her best to keep a poker face, but she had trouble hiding the fact that his mere presence made her heart race, and that she got a little rush of happiness whenever he smiled at her.

Glancing up at him again, she flushed as she noticed him watching her, and looked away, amber eyes trained on the floor. She desperately hoped that no-one would see them. The Commander just laughed softly, taking her small hand in his.

"W-what are you _doing_? Not here!" she hissed, blush deepening as she tried to pull her hand free. He however, took no notice, squeezing her hand tighter.

_I wish he wouldn't do things like this in public...never mind how warm his hand feels..._

When they finally reached the office, Murrue waved him in the direction of the desk again, handing him the papers. There wasn't as much to do this time, but she knew perfectly well that he'd just leave them until the pile got too big to ignore...And she was happy about it, happy that even though he had work, the two of them could spend some time alone together.

"Go on now, the sooner you start, the sooner you'll be finished." The Commander smiled, blue eyes twinkling. "When I'm finished...can I have a kiss?"

Murrue looked away at that, feeling the heat spread across her face again. She hated the fact that she blushed so easily..."M-maybe.." she whispered.

An hour passed in relative silence. The Commander worked hard on his paperwork, completing the sheets of logs and reports faster than Murrue had thought it possible for him to work.

_I guess when he has...motivation, it makes all the difference..._

Pushing back a lock of dark hair, she settled into the sofa, reading. Or..pretending to read. Every so often she would find herself looking up, enjoying being able to watch him like this...with no-one else seeing her. Sometimes he glanced up from his work, smiling as he caught her looking at him, and she would look away quickly, face reddening.

"Finished!" he called suddenly, startling her. "Oh, really? Here, let me see..."

He really _had_ finished, loopy handwriting covering all the pages. Murrue smiled. "There, you see. Not so bad, is it?"

The Commander beamed, looking up at her expectantly, and she sighed, leaning down and kissing him on the cheek. He pouted. "Awww...is that all I get?" Standing up, he drew her close to himself, pressing his lips to hers in a kiss more passionate than any they had shared previously.

_What in the..._Murrue's eyes shot wide open, unable to quite believe what he was doing. His eyes were closed, and his arms were wrapped around her...and she couldn't deny how good it felt. Hesitantly, she closed her eyes, and returned the kiss, the embrace deepening until they were forced to break for air.

"C-c-commander, I-I...I..." she stuttered, pressing a hand to her mouth. Her face felt like it was burning. The Commander laughed softly, and kissed her again, a much more gentle gesture this time. Then, after squeezing her hand again, he left the office, leaving Murrue still standing there in amazement (and no small amount of happiness...)

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_A month later..._

"Oh, while you're here, you may as well get these finished.." Murrue called, handing the man sitting on her bed a small pile of papers. Mwu raised his eyebrows. "Way to break the mood there...I thought we were going to be together tonight?"

She smiled sweetly, and put away her own papers. "And we still can be. But I have to take a shower. If, and only if, you get that work done, you can stay here tonight. Okay?" Mwu's heart sank, his dejection clear to see. Murrue just giggled, walking into the bathroom and locking the door behind her.

_This isn't fair...she's taking advantage. She knows perfectly well that I'll do this...with something like that to look forward to. She knows me too well. And she locked the door so I can't sneak in the shower with her...it's not fair..._

Working as hard as he could, Mwu filled in the reports. But he was still nowhere near halfway done before his lover stepped out of the bathroom, clad in a sleeveless top and shorts. Standing up, he took her into his arms, breathing in the scent of her soap and shampoo. "Did you finish?" she whispered playfully, and his shoulders slumped. Murrue laughed. "I take it that means you didn't.." She tried to push him away, but he held on tight, placing kisses on her cheek.

"Go on.." she said, trying to inject some sternness into her soft voice, but he took no notice. "I wanna be with you..." he muttered, still trying to kiss her.

"And you can be..." she replied. "When you're finished..." Mwu shook his head. "Nope, I was thinking more of 'now'..."

She frowned. "You're disobeying your captain's instructions? They call that 'mutiny', you know..."

Mwu grinned, pulling her even closer. "If my captain wants me to follow her orders, she should be less beautiful. How can I concentrate on my work when you're here?"

Slowly, he began to caress the back of her neck, underneath her dark hair, knowing how much she loved that. Sure enough, almost immediately, her eyes fluttered closed, and her cheeks flushed pale pink. She did try to fight back, trying to pull away, but he was too strong for her. "Stop...you...you're not finished!" she gasped.

"Oh, but I am.." Mwu whispered, placing kisses on the side of her neck, and slowly moving up to her cheek. "All finished now..." he muttered as his mouth came across hers, kissing her intensely. Breaking for air, he continued to stroke the back of her neck, his other hand sliding underneath the vest she wore.

"But..." Murrue began, only to be cut off when he kissed her again. The sensations and feelings she was experiencing finally proved too much to fight, and she curled her arms around his neck, kissing him back with equal passion, a giggle escaping her as he pushed her back onto the bed.

He never _did_ finish his work...

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( XO this took forever to write T T

I wanted to make it the different stages of their relationship, the first when they were just friends, but beginning to like each other, the second part when they had just gotten together, and the third when they were lovers. It was hard keeping it in character. Did I do okay?

Please read and review! )


	36. Familiarity

She couldn't sleep. Even thought she was exhausted, even though the clock on the bedside table read 4am, she couldn't sleep. She _had_ been asleep, she was pretty sure of that, but she had snapped awake for some reason, and now, no matter what she did, she couldn't drop off again. The moon shone brightly into the room through the thin curtains, lighting up the place as well as though it were daytime. Below the loft where the bed stood, Murrue could make out all the furniture in the room, the sofa bed, the TV, the coffee table. Her mirrored dressing table, surface piled high with odds and ends, perfume bottles, as well as the small amount of make-up she used on an everyday basis. The bookcase beside the dresser was stuffed full with books of every subject, as well as papers and magazines Mwu forgot to throw away. Framed photographs littered the top of the wooden case, pictures of her wedding, her friends, the peace celebrations, when her daughter was just born...memories, all of them, captured and frozen in time forever.

And beside her...Murrue looked down at the one lying there. Mwu was sound asleep, his breathing soft, deep, and even. He was lying sprawled on his back, blonde hair trailing across his scarred face. He looked so innocent, so peaceful, it made the auburn-haired woman smile happily, and she reached out to gently brush the locks from his face. Even though his presence was so familiar to her now, even though she knew he would always be there, Murrue treasured every day she had with him, and every day told him how much she loved him.

_I can't take advantage of him being here...after all that happened, I can't do it. I remember all too well how it felt when he wasn't here...when I was alone. I never want to feel like that again. I have to treat each day I have with him as special..because they are..._

Slipping out of bed, carefully so as not to wake her sleeping husband, Murrue put on her robe that hung over the side of the loft railing, and tip-toed down the tiny wooden steps, and out of the silent bedroom.

_At least I don't have work tomorrow..._

Once outside the bedroom, she made her way across the landing, and pushed open a white-painted door, grimacing as the hinges made a protesting squeak. The room beyond was painted a pale pink, seeming to be silver in the moonlight. White furniture stood around the edges of the room, almost every surface covered with toys and plushies. A tiny bed stood beneath the window, with an equally tiny occupant. Stellar was 21 months old now, and old enough to sleep in a 'grown-up' bed. She was also old enough to look forward to her second birthday, and constantly toddled around after her parents, asking for a 'dolly' she had seen in advertisements on television.

Murrue was happy beyond belief that she had a child, never once dreaming in wartime that she would even live long enough to see the end of the fighting, let alone that one day she would be a mother. It made her heart skip sometimes when her little girl followed her around the house, and hugged her legs, with her little chirp of "Love you, Mama!"

Mwu had taught her that sentence, Murrue was sure. He adored his daughter, and was forever bringing home little gifts for her, almost spoiling her, really. Murrue had tried complaining, but he had only smiled, and handed her a gift too.

_"I can't forget **both **my favourite girls, now can I?"_

He was always like that...she could never stay 'mad' at him for long. Of course, these presents had the added side-effect of making Stellar into a real 'daddy's girl', which Murrue was sure had been his intention all along. But really, for someone as childish as Mwu could be, he was a surprisingly responsible father...

Stellar mumbled in her sleep, already wavy dark auburn hair falling into her face, thumb held tightly in sleepy mouth. Her blue eyes were shut tight, the toddler quiet and still.

_Of course, when she's awake, she's never still. Always running around, wanting to see everything, so curious and happy, just like her father. And so stubborn always...again, just like her father. Although..I suppose that's also like me..._

Stepping quietly from her daughter's bedroom, Murrue closed the door softly behind her, leaving the child to her dreams.

Downstairs, the silver light had even made it's way through the thick curtains of the sitting room, illuminating the place, reflecting from the china vase full of flowers she had placed there yesterday morning. The light also shone from an empty glass that had been left on the table, causing Murrue to huff slightly at her husband's untidiness. _He can be such a child..._

Her desk stood off to one side, in an alcove near the kitchen door. The pile of paperwork she had completed last night sat there neatly, ready to be taken back to work next week. And everything else...

She scowled, pushing back dark hair from her face as she noticed the secret drawer in the desk was a little ajar..some of the contents missing. Murrue kept a small stash of her favourite chocolate candies in this drawer, a secret vice..and some were gone.

_There's no way it could have been Stellar. She's too little to reach this drawer...it must have been **him**._

The walls in this room were covered, hung with framed pictures, the subject matter much like the photographs that stood on the bookcase in her bedroom. Some pictures had been taken in the two years she was alone, of her standing there at Morgenroete, or the beach house where Kira-kun and Lacus-san lived. Some photographs showed Mwu, having been taken during the last two years, the time they had begun living together. But one of those images hanging on the wall was special. It showed the hangar bay of the _Archangel_, the golden form of the Akatsuki clearly visible in the background. A tall blonde man stood in front of the mobile suit, wide smile on his handsome scarred face. But it wasn't Mwu...well, not really. The picture had been taken when he had still been without his memories...when he had still been Neo. This was the only picture that Murrue had of him, the man who was Mwu, yet not Mwu.

_If Mwu had never regained his memories...how would things have turned out? I still find myself wondering sometimes..what would life have been like? Would I have been with him, or would we just have stayed friends?_

Wandering into the kitchen, which was neat and tidy, sink clear, Murrue crossed to the fridge, the normally plain white surface of the appliance covered with finger paintings Stellar had done at playgroup. After fixing herself a glass of milk, the woman walked back upstairs, bare feet making almost no sound on the thick carpet. Back in her bedroom, she pulled back the curtains slightly, quietly opening the bay windows and stepping out onto the balcony. The night was clear and warm, the moon still shining almost as brightly as the sun. The silver light shone down onto the garden, the flowers and trees silently standing there almost seeming as though they had been brought to life by the ethereal glow. The balcony afforded a perfect view of the city, and Murrue stood there a while, watching the distant lights twinkle.

Then she jumped as a pair of strong arms wrapped themselves around her slender waist, and a kiss placed on her cheek.

"Hey, princess, why are you awake so early? It's still the middle of the night, you know..." She smiled, and leaned back into Mwu's arms, enjoying the embrace. "I couldn't sleep, that's all.." Mwu nodded, and together they stood there in the night air, enveloped in silence for a while, until they turned on some unspoken agreement, and walked back inside the house. Sitting down on the sofa, Mwu pulled Murrue close, until she was sitting on his lap, head on his shoulder.

The couple talked for a while, Mwu's voice a low, comforting murmur, his hands gently stroking Murrue's arms, lulling her to sleep. She realised what he was doing, and snuggled up closer, a drowsy smile on her face.

"Love you.." she whispered, voice barely audible as sleep overtook her. "Love you so much..."

Mwu chuckled gently as his wife's amber eyes closed, and her breathing became deep and regular as she finally fell asleep.

"I love you too.." he replied, knowing that she couldn't hear him. Her beautiful face wore a smile still, and he couldn't help smiling back. Lifting her up, he carried Murrue up the wooden steps to where the bed waited, and tucked her up in the sheets, slipping in beside her. She muttered something in her sleep, and moved closer to him, nestling her head on his shoulder.

"Goodnight, Murrue.." Mwu said, kissing her gently. Now..he could rest too. Her absence had awoken him, he somehow knowing, even in slumber, that she wasn't there beside him. Now that she was, and finally fast asleep, he could sleep too...

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(Ya XD. I really don't know why it is that they almost always end up asleep at the end of my stories...maybe it's because the idea of them both snuggled up to each other is so darn cute :laughs:

Anyhoo, hope you all enjoyed it, and please read and review if you can! )


	37. Fireworks

The day was hot, clear, and sunny. Of course, every day was hot in the sub-tropical atmosphere of Orb, but this was the first day after the monsoon season, the first day the humidity of the last month or so had cleared up, and that called for a celebration. There was no real need to celebrate, of course, not just because of the weather, but somehow it seemed the right thing to do. After all, it had been several weeks since everyone could be together, everyone had been so busy with their own lives after the end of the peace talks.

Partly this celebration was because of the weather, partly because of the overwhelming feeling of peace that had descended on the small country, and partly because of Mwu and Murrue's engagement just over a month before.

Mwu of course, had loved the idea of a party for that reason, his new fiancee, more than slightly embarrassed about it. Everyone, all their friends, had been so happy for them. Happy, but not surprised that they were engaged, only surprised that it hadn't happened earlier..

So there they all were, at the simple wooden house by the beach, the sea breeze blowing some of the heat away, making the washing that was almost a constant dance on the line. The breeze also lended itself to kite flying, the orphans running about the beach, pulling colourful home-made contraptions behind them. Kira and Athrun stood watching, helping to fix some of the kites the wind had been too rough with. But Mwu...

Mwu was right in the middle of the childish games, one of the orphans sitting on his shoulders. His loud merry laugh echoed around the beach, mixing with the giggles of the children. He ran over the sand, the youngster on his shoulders clutching the strings of a bright blue kite, making it twirl and swoop through the air.

"Mwu-san..." sighed Kira, as the kite finally fell to the ground. "Aren't you a little too old to be playing with kites?"

The man raised an eyebrow, blonde hair blowing in the wind. "Who's too old? Anyhow," he continued, impish grin back on his face, "I bet you I can fly one of these better than either of _you_ two could..."

Now it was the two boys' turn to grin. "Oh yeah?" asked Athrun, green eyes flashing with the challenge. "We'll see about that!"

The game began again, three kites flying through the afternoon sky, the orphans running about with the older ones as they competed to see which of the toys could fly the highest.

In the kitchen of the little house, three women watched the game. The oldest, a tall woman with long auburn hair, sighed, and slumped into one of the chairs around the table. "He's such a child..."

One of her companions, a smaller, younger girl with long wavy pink hair, smiled sweetly. "But he's always been like that. I don't think that Fllaga-san will ever change. And it's good for Kira and Athrun too. They haven't been able to act their own age for quite some time..."

Murrue looked up at Lacus, a small smile on her own face. "Yes, I understand that. But sometimes I do wonder if agreeing to marry him so soon was the right idea..maybe I should have waited a while..." She idly fiddled with the engagement ring she wore, the diamond glittering in the sunlight. The youngest girl, Meyrin, frowned a little. "What for? Everyone said when you got engaged that it was the right thing. They all said that you and Fllaga-san were meant to be together, and that they were surprised you didn't get married, or at least engaged, right away..."

Murrue blushed. "I...we...I..." she stuttered, making the two younger girls laugh. Shaking her head, the older woman got to her feet and moved towards the stove again. "We...we should get back to work..." The three women, as well as Kira's mother, were making a buffet dinner for later. Knowing that everyone, especially Mwu, Kira and Athrun, would be able to eat a _lot_, they had been busily working for most of the day, making sandwiches, sausage rolls, and other snack foods, as well as a lot of cookies.

"I hoped..." began Lacus, causing the other two females to look at her, "that you being here, Murrue-san, and people being able to see how happy you and Fllaga-san are together, might...might encourage..Kira.." Her cheeks flushed a pale pink. Murrue sighed.

_Kira-kun does loves Lacus-san, I know he does...but he's never really done anything to express how he feels. Perhaps she's right, perhaps Mwu and I could help somehow..._

A loud wailing cry broke her concentration, and she looked up, marigold eyes lighting on one of the orphan children. The little boy had trails of tears down his cheeks, and his left knee was badly scraped, the blood clearly visible.

"I..I fell over.." he sniffled. Murrue smiled, and lifted the child in her arms, sitting him on the kitchen table.

"It's okay..." she soothed, ruffling his hair. She washed the scrape with water, and dried it off, adding a sticking plaster. "There we are, all better now.." The little boy smiled, and jumped down off the table. "Thank you, Murrue-san!" After he had run back to join his friends, Murrue turned around at the sound of girlish laughter. "What is it?"

Meyrin chuckled, small hand pressed to her mouth. "You'll make such a good mommy, Ramius-san..."

The auburn-haired woman flushed, cheeks turning poppy red. Lacus nodded. "Meyrin-chan's right. You'll make a wonderful mother. Are you and Fllaga-san planning to have children of your own?" Murrue's blush deepened further, and she didn't answer.

A few hours later, it was time for dinner. As predicted, the children, Mwu, Kira and Athrun descended on the buffet meal like locusts, the sandwiches and snack food disappearing quickly. Mwu in particular ate a great deal, including several pickled onions. However, he soon regretted that choice when he moved to kiss his fiancee, and she shrank away from him.

"No! Get away! Your breath smells terrible!" And no amount of pouting, or cuddles, could induce Murrue to change her mind. For the rest of the meal, the scarred man sat slumped in a corner, eating all the cookies in a fit of childish sulking.

Later that night, after the sun had set, a large campfire was set up on the beach, logs placed around it for seats. Athrun produced the large (almost too large) bag of marshmallows he had brought along, and soon there were laughs and giggles around the fire as the group jostled for the best position, trying to toast the fluffy sweets without burning them. Not long after, there were grins and sticky fingers (and also a few burnt fingers).

Mwu sat on one of the logs, Murrue beside him. Over the course of the evening, she had moved closer until she was leaning against him, head nestled on his shoulder. Her beautiful face was happy, serene.

"Can I kiss you now?" he muttered, stroking her arms. She smiled, eyes closed. "Later, you can. When we're alone..." Mwu grinned. "Nah...I wanna kiss you now..." And he did, so passionately, the couple fell backwards off the log, and onto the cool sand. Everyone looked up in surprise, and laughed at the sight unfolding. Murrue was bright red, and whacked Mwu on the arm.

"Idiot..what did you do that for?" He just laughed, handsome face alight with happiness, blue eyes twinkling.

Kira looked thoughtful at what he'd just seen, and suddenly grabbed Lacus, planting his lips on hers in a kiss of his own. Lacus' blue eyes opened wide, then closed in bliss. This was what she had been waiting so patiently for, and she was going to enjoy every second. Mwu and Athrun grinned, and gave each other a thumbs-up across the campfire circle. Murrue frowned. "Huh?"

"Me and him have been working on the kid all day, trying to get him to make a move. I'm glad he finally did!"

When the light of the fire was beginning to die away, the younger ones produced fireworks, which they gleefully proceeded to set off, the resulting bangs and flashes of the bottle rockets and roman candles lighting up the night sky.

Murrue and Mwu sat together still on the log, smiling as they watched the teenagers race around in the dark, laughing and shouting with the orphans.

"It's so nice..." Murrue murmured, "to see them all like this. To see them having fun, living their own lives and finally being able to act like children again..." A rocket exploded overhead. "And if these are the only explosions I ever see again, I'll be happy..."

Mwu wrapped his arms a little tighter around her waist, nuzzling into her dark hair. "They will be, I'm sure. Peace is here to stay now, and so am I. So...you never have to worry again, all right?" He placed a kiss on her cheek.

She turned to face him, tears in her tawny eyes. "Thank you.." She moved up, her eyes closing, and kissed him softly on the lips, happy that there was peace now, and that she had him with her...

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( Yay! Weeeellll, I don't know where half of this came from, but I really wanted to make Kira score with Lacus. Poor Lacus always looks as if she's waiting for something for most of GSD, and I'm sure that she's waiting for Kira to get off with her. But he never does, the slack idiot XO.

Please read and review! )


	38. Home Again

( This is set after my earlier fic 'Hospital'. I wanted to write about when Murrue-san came home, so here we are! )

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She awoke to the sounds of birds chirping outside. Slowly opening her amber eyes, Murrue looked around...and smiled. She was home now. Everything around her, the items littering the bookcase and table...it was all familiar to her now. Sitting up, she peered around herself. She was in the sofa bed in the main part of the bedroom, clothed in her favourite nightdress.

_But how...I don't remember getting home..how did I...?_

The last thing she remembered was getting in the car to come home...she must have fallen asleep. But then, how did she end up like this? Did..Mwu do it? A blush crept onto her cheeks at the realisation that he must have been the one to put the nightgown on her and tuck her in bed, as though she were a child no older than their daughter. It was so...embarrassing.

_If I hadn't stayed awake all night in the hospital waiting for him..I wouldn't have fallen asleep on the way home. It's my own fault..._

The sofa bed was rumpled, as if someone else had been sleeping there. Murrue smiled, and touched the pillow next to her own. The sheets still smelt faintly of him, although it seemed he had been up for quite a while. Pushing the sheets back, the auburn-haired woman got (rather unsteadily) to her feet, and very slowly made her way out of the bedroom. She was still having trouble making her limbs obey her, and she had only been able to walk again for about a week.

Peeking around the door of the nursery, Murrue frowned in confusion as she saw that the 14-month old Stellar wasn't there. The room was empty and silent, the cradle neat.

_Where is she? Is she with Mwu?_

Stiffly, slowly, she made her way downstairs. A fresh morning breeze was blowing through the house, and the sunlight streamed through the open kitchen door. Noticing that there was coffee in the pot on the worktop, Murrue picked up a rose-patterned mug from inside a cupboard, turning it over in her hands.

_This is my favourite mug. Mwu bought it for me the day we moved into this house..._

Everything was familiar now, but she still found herself double-checking things, worried that some of her memories hadn't returned yet. Now she understood how Mwu had felt in the days after he had rediscovered his real self. He had been very insecure for a while, not quite believing that everything would really be all right.

After pouring herself a cup of the still-warm coffee, Murrue made her way outside. Just as she had suspected, there he was, sitting at the table in the garden, mug of coffee in front of him. Mwu was leaning back, seemingly enjoying the sunshine. A smile came to the woman's face as she tiptoed out of the house, and up behind him. Setting the hot drink down on the ground, she wrapped her thin arms around him, kissing him on the cheek, nuzzling into his neck and breathing in his scent.

Her husband chuckled, kissing her hand. "Good morning, beautiful, did you sleep well?" Taking her arm, Mwu pulled her around and to himself, so she was sitting on his lap. His hand came up to gently stroke her cheek. "Are you happy to be home?"

Murrue nodded, just staring at him. His blue eyes twinkled with the sunlight and with happiness, and his delighted smile made him so handsome...she loved him so much, it made her chest feel tight. Throwing her arms around him, she hugged him as hard as she could, and she heard and felt him laugh as he hugged her back.

"I guess that's a 'yes' then..." he whispered, and kissed her gently.

After they broke for air, Murrue looked around, but she couldn't see her baby anywhere. "Where's Stellar?"

Mwu smiled. "I took her over to the kid's place while you were still asleep..No, no, it's okay, she'll be back after lunch..." he soothed, seeing the tears brim in his wife's eyes. "I just..." he looked away, not able to face her sadness. "I know you missed her while you were away..but I just..I wanted you to myself for a little while. When I found out about the accident..I was so scared..." he said softly, pulling Murrue closer. She looked down, dark hair hiding her face. "I..I don't remember that..don't remember what happened.."

Mwu closed his eyes, remembering all too well that day three weeks ago. Seeing her lying there in the hospital bed, so still and pale...his heart had stopped for a moment. She had looked so fragile..her pale skin almost white against the sheets, her head bandaged. Even though people had repeatedly told him that Murrue would be all right, seeing her just lying there like that..he'd been terrified that he'd lost her. Erica had told him Murrue had fallen from a gantry while working, and that the doctor had said it was a miracle she had survived at all, let alone that she had no serious injuries.

He couldn't tell her all this though, so he only held onto her tightly, as though he never wanted to let her go again.

"I'm sorry..." he whispered, eyes still closed. "I'm so sorry..."

"For what?" she asked, thin hands caressing his hair. "You've nothing to be sorry for..."

"I do..because now I know..how much it hurts to be forgotten..and I did that to you.." Murrue tilted his chin up so he was looking directly at her. "It wasn't your fault. Never ever blame yourself for that, you hear me?" The stern look faded, and she leaned down, her hair tickling his cheeks. "Okay?"

He sighed, hugging his wife close again. "It's because..you and the munchkin are all I have. If something happened to one of you..what would I do?"

Murrue kissed him on the forehead, understanding his fear. _While he was gone..in those two years, I was alone, but not completely alone. I had my friends, all of them, people I could rely on totally if I needed them. But Mwu...he was never able to do that...to rely on others so much like I could. So for those weeks I was sick...he must have been all alone except for the baby..._

Snuggling closer to him, as close as she could get while sitting on his lap, she whispered words of comfort to him.

"It's okay, honey, it's okay."

Mwu just laughed, no humour in the sound. "Funny really. They say men are meant to be the strong ones, right? But you...you're so much stronger than me. I..I couldn't cope if you weren't around..."

Murrue didn't know what to say. _This is really how he feels? He depends on me this much? But I thought I was the one who depended on **him**?_

She kissed him softly. "To tell the truth...I don't feel so strong at the moment. I can hardly walk, and I get so tired..." He laughed, it sounding once again like the cheery laughter she loved so much. "Don't worry.." he said, ruffling her hair. "It's just because you're recovering, that's all. Soon you'll be running about all over the place again, trying to do thirty things at once..."

She giggled, but then sighed. "But I hate this...feeling so helpless.."

Her husband laughed again, standing up and helping her to her feet. "One thing you could never be, my love, is helpless."

After he took her arm for support, the couple made their way on a slow walk around the garden, enjoying the feel of the breeze, and the company of each other.

Later that day, Kira and Lacus turned up, baby Stellar with them. The toddler's crystal-blue eyes widened when she saw her mother for the first time in three weeks, and she squealed in delight, kicking her little chubby legs, and squirming around in Lacus' arms, trying to get to the dark haired woman. Murrue walked closer, slowly, then knelt down on the grass. The infant, after being put down, toddled across as fast as she could go, finally clambering up on Murrue's lap.

Murrue herself hugged the baby tightly, tears of happiness streaming down her cheeks. "Oh, sweetheart, I missed you!"

Stellar giggled and laughed, so happy in her baby way, babbling and playing with the ends of her mother's dark hair. Helping Murrue to her feet, Mwu took her and their daughter into his arms, blue eyes closed in contentment, happy that he finally had his beloved little family together again, the two people in the world who meant so much to him...

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( A wee bit disjointed, but you try writing whilst holding down three conversations on MSN Messenger...

Please read and review! )


	39. Ambitions

"Mama! Mama, look!"

Murrue looked up from where she was sitting on the sofa. "Sssssh, Stellar sweetie." she whispered, gesturing to the five-month old Lily asleep in her arms after her bottle. "She's just fallen asleep..." Stellar pressed her hands to her mouth. "Sorry, Mama" she whispered back. "But look!" The little girl waved a piece of paper in her hand, it seeming to be a letter from her school. After handing Murrue the letter, Stellar sat down on the sofa beside her, blue eyes wide in expectation.

The letter...it was what Murrue had been fearing. A scheme where all of Stellar's class went to spend at day at work with their parents. And since Murrue was on maternity leave after having Lily...Stellar would have to go to work with Mwu. And the last place Murrue wanted her daughter to go was the pilot academy...because of what had happened before.

_One year ago_

_The academy grounds were filled with people, come to enjoy the open day. Crowds lined the walkways and grass beside the airstrip, ready for the aerial display. Murrue and Stellar stood on a grandstand, having VIP tickets due to Mwu being part of the staff, and also part of..._

_The Murasames screamed overhead, the winds they caused making hats fly away, and hairstyles be ruined. Murrue rolled her eyes. She knew who's idea that had likely been...The mobile suits flew in intricate displays in the sky, their vapour trails weaving patterns in the clear blue. Murrue sighed as she watched the Waverider forms perform barrel rolls and loops in the air, her concern and apparent dislike a contrast to the gasps of awe and delight from all around her. Mwu rarely piloted now, knowing how much it frightened his wife after all the battles he'd taken part in. Sometimes Murrue wondered if he resented that, giving up what he had loved so much. Mwu had never once complained, but sometimes she found him looking up at the sky, a faraway look in those blue eyes. Today was special, though, a chance to show off his skills, and what his students had learned._

_After the display, Stellar looked up at her mother, the five-year-old's amazement clear to see. "Wasn't Papa great, Mama?" She bounced up and down. "I wanna do that too! I wanna be a pilot just like Papa when I grow up!" Then she tipped her head to one side, confusion on her face. "What is it, Mama? Why do you look so sad?"_

Ever since that day, Stellar had never once changed her mind about being a pilot when she got older, always watching programmes on TV about it, and forever asking her father for stories of when he himself was a fighter pilot. Mwu however, never told her much about it, not wanting to remember a lot of it, and also remembering how much him going out to fight had always scared Murrue when they were together. He knew the last thing Murrue would ever want her daughter to be was a pilot, and he wasn't happy about it either...he had seen too many people die in battles. No way he wanted his little girl to live a life like that, even though there was no war now...

But on this occasion, he had no choice. Stellar had shown him the letter as soon as he got home, and she'd been so excited. Murrue had given her permission to go, and was smiling when the six-year-old chattered about all the things she wanted to do and see. Mwu knew how much pain it must cause her, but she never faltered once, always smiling, with a cheerful tone to her voice, hiding the hurt and the fear. After Stellar had gone to bed, he'd tried to hug Murrue, but she hadn't responded.

"I'm sorry.." he muttered, but his wife just shook her head and looked away. She was quiet for most of the evening, absorbed in her book, and when it was time for sleep, she just fed Lily, and then climbed into bed, the sheets pulled up around her.

Mwu lay there for a long time, listening to the sound of her breathing. Then, the breathing became hitched, then turned into sobs, her thin shoulders shaking. He pulled her close to him, her tears soaking through his T-shirt.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart.." he whispered, rubbing her back soothingly. Murrue shook her head, still crying. "It..it's not your fault..but please.."

The blonde man smiled softly, placing a kiss on the top of her dark hair. "Don't you worry. It'll be all right, I promise.."

_I'll take care of her. And plus...this'll help the munchkin find out that being a pilot isn't all about flying..._

The next day, as they drove to the academy, Stellar turned to Mwu. "Papa? What do you do at work, anyhow?"

Mwu smiled, his eyes on the road. "Well...my job isn't very exciting. Sure, I fly planes and mobile suits sometimes, but only when I'm showing the students how to do it, or when it's an airshow like the one you saw last year. Really..I'm just a schoolteacher, only the kids I teach are a bit older than your class at school."

Stellar pouted. "But you fly sometimes, right? Isn't that fun?"

"It is now, because it's peacetime. But when it's war, pilots have to go fight all the time. That's not fun at all. It's really scary, fighting other people, and you had to be really careful with your plane or suit, in case it got shot down and broken. Then people like Mama had to fix them.."

The little girl looked up at her father, eyes wide. "Really? Is that how you met Mama? Did she have to fix what you broke?"

Mwu laughed. "Sometimes it feels like Mama _always_ has to fix what I break. But no, I met your mama kind of by accident. I ended up on the ship she was captain of. We met that way. I didn't have a mobile suit then, I only got one when your uncle Kira gave me the one he used to use."

Stellar's blue eyes were even wider now. "Mama was a _captain?_ Was she a pilot too?"

"No.." he said softly. "And me being a pilot always scared her after we started going out.."

"Why, Papa?"

"Because...whenever I went out, there was always the danger I'd get shot down...and not come back again..."

The six-year-old was silent after that, looking out of the car window, deep in thought.

In his class, Mwu introduced the little girl to his students, a broad smile of pride on his scarred face. The girls in the class squealed at how cute Stellar was, which made the girl hide behind her father, a little overwhelmed. One of the girls smiled. "You look just like your mommy..." The students had met Murrue on several occasions, including a couple of times when she had visited the academy in a soldier capacity, to explain battle procedures. Some of the female students were rather jealous of the older woman, those who had crushes on their teacher, as it was clear to see how much he and Murrue loved each other.

As the class got under way, Stellar sat at the back of the class, wanting to listen and learn about everything the older ones did. But it soon proved impossible for the little girl. The class today was all about the dynamics of flight, involving lots of complicated mathematics and geometry, far too advanced for the six-year-old girl, bright though she was...

Halfway through the lecture, Mwu looked around from the board he was writing on as a ripple of laughter flowed around the room. His daughter was leaning back against the wall, fast asleep.

At lunchtime, Stellar sat at her papa's desk, eating the lunch her mother had made for her. The desk was messy, covered in papers, books, and empty coffee mugs. But one thing was mess and dust-free, a photograph in a wooden frame. The little girl recognised it as a picture Papa had taken earlier in the summer. She and Mama were sitting on the garden swing, big smiles on their faces, and Mama was holding baby sister Lily in her arms.

"Papa? How come you have a picture of me, Mama and Lily here?" Her father smiled, pushing golden hair from his face. "Cause sometimes at work, I get lonely, and I like to keep the picture there for company. It makes me feel like you're all here.."

After lunch, Mwu led Stellar to the simulator room. He didn't have another class that day, so it was time to show his little girl what being a pilot really felt like. The girl looked around in surprise, playing with the ends of her auburn hair rather like her mother did when she was confused or worried. "What's this room for, Papa?"

He knelt down to her level to explain it better. "Well, even though everyone has to learn to fly planes and mobile suits, sometimes we can't always use real ones. So this place helps us pretend."

In the mobile suit simulator, Mwu set it going, and sat in the pilot seat, his daughter on his lap. The simulation began, a recreation of flying over a battlefield at high altitude. Stellar's eyes were wide in astonishment at seeing the flashes of weapons fire seemingly so far below her. "We're flying! What are those flashy things, Papa?" Then she covered her face as the 'suit' banked sharply to the left. "No..I don't like it!" Mwu smiled. "It's okay, sweetie, it's only pretend..." But Stellar shook her head, beginning to cry. "No..it's scary! I don't like this!" Shutting the simulation down, he lifted the little girl into his arms, stopping her tears. "It's all right now..it's all right..."

When they reached home, Stellar told her mother all about the things she had done that day, and how scary it had all been sometimes. "When I said I wanted to be like Papa when I grew up, you looked real sad. Is that why, cos you knew how scary it was?" Murrue nodded, taking her daughter into her arms. "That's right.."

"Well...I don't want to be a pilot anymore..." the little girl murmured, falling asleep in Murrue's arms, worn out from the excitement of the day. The auburn haired woman breathed a sigh of relief, laying her sleeping daughter down on the sofa. Mwu chuckled, taking his wife into his arms for a hug and kiss. "There, you see? All better now. I know how you feel about me being a pilot still...that's why I chose to do what I do now. I have too much here waiting for me to risk losing it...I don't need to be a hero anymore..."

Murrue smiled, stroking his cheek. "You'll always be _my _hero, though..." Moving up, she was about to meet his lips with her own, when Lily's ear-splitting cry rang through the house. Smiling, the woman lay her head on her husband's chest.

"Hold that thought..."


	40. Chocolate

It was afternoon in the city.The roads were crowded with cars, making the air stuffy, and the sun shone down brightly. People thronged the pavements, milling about in an endless parade. Amongst the crowds, two people stood together, checking the list they had brought with them on this trip. Shopping for everything you needed for a new house took a long time, and they were still only half-finished. Even though the furniture in the house was all still there, the previous owners leaving it behind when they left, there was still everything else to shop for...

Since the list was coming along okay, the two set off on their search again, the man walking slightly in front of the woman, protecting her from the crowds. She just watched him as he walked, smiling a little. Mwu wore a shirt and jeans, collar-length golden hair fluttering in the warm breeze caused by the passers-by. It was so unlike what she was used to seeing, Murrue couldn't help but stare. Sometimes she wondered whether they would really be all right. With everything that had happened, with them only being back together for a couple of months, she wasn't sure whether it would all work out. But then she remembered the last two years, the countless times when she was alone, and had wished that Mwu was there with her.

_This is the right decision. For both of us..._

At that moment, Mwu turned around, looking for her. When he saw her, he smiled, the expression lighting up his handsome scarred face. His blue eyes twinkled, and Murrue couldn't help but smile back, his happiness almost contagious. All her worries and doubts vanished in that moment, her heart melting.

Mwu grinned at his girlfriend, seeing her standing there in the street amidst the crowds of people. Even with the dozens of other women walking there, Murrue stood out. She was just standing there, white summer dress blowing in the breeze, dark hair tied back into a simple ponytail. She was stunning.

_All the guys walking past are staring at her...but she never notices. She really doesn't know how beautiful she is..._

Holding out his hand to her, his smile broadened as she took it in her own, fingers entwining together, and the couple walked further, continuing their shopping.

The next place they came to was a supermarket. Still holding hands, Mwu and Murrue just laughed at how utterly ordinary and boring this seemed. After everything they'd been through together, all the fighting and the uncertainty, here they were...food shopping.

But they needed to eat, so it couldn't be helped. The pair of them wandered around the large shop, taking their time, stocking up on the things they would need.

"Mwu, stop that.." sighed Murrue as he cheerfully placed some cookies and an instant meal into the basket. "You can't live on something like that forever. I know you're used to eating in a hurry, but now..we don't need to anymore.."

Mwu grinned, surprised at how content she sounded, even though she was scolding him. "You like this, don't you? Being normal..."

She raised an eyebrow. "Normal? What's 'normal' anyway? Don't tell me you'd rather be fighting right now, Colonel?"

Mwu laughed, and pulled Murrue closer, his breath tickling her cheek. "You know what I mean. I'm so used to seeing you as a captain, it feels strange to be with you like this, us being just an everyday couple..." She giggled, understanding perfectly. It **did** feel strange to be doing something like this, but after all the war and the fighting...she wouldn't swap this for the world...

Stocking the trolley with fruit and vegetables, she took Mwu's arm and pulled him away from the pizza section, a small smile on her lips at his whining. But unseen by her, Mwu slipped a chocolate bar into the basket...

After they took their shopping back to the car, Mwu noticed that Murrue was flagging a little with the heat. He thought it odd, as she should be used to the atmosphere of Orb by now, but he didn't mention it, knowing that she would deny it.

Instead, he took her hand again, and steered her into a nearby cafe.

"What would you like?" he asked softly, seeing how flushed she looked. Murrue smiled, gratitude and relief shining in those haunting amber eyes of hers. "Soda, please..."

As they sat together sipping their drinks, Mwu slipped an arm around the woman's waist, pressing a kiss to her warm forehead.

"Are you all right?" She nodded, smiling. "Yes, I'm fine. I've just not had much sleep lately, what with work and the peace talks. Don't worry about me..."

He wasn't convinced, but kissed her again, the warmth flooding through him as she nestled closer to him despite the oppressive heat of the day.

Their shopping trip continued, this time to a large department store to buy the other things their new house needed. Of course, they had a bed, and a couple of sofas there which had been left behind. But they had no bedding, no cushions, nothing like that. The couple wandered lazily around the store, picking up comfortable cushions, towels, and pillows. Mwu's tanned face lit up as he discovered a large fluffy white duvet, plenty big enough for their new bed back home.

"Here, look what I found!" Murrue looked up in surprise as the vast expanse of white covered her, leaving only her dark auburn hair visible. "Mwu!" she almost squeaked, voice muffled by the duvet. "Stop that!"

The comforter was pulled aside, and she looked up, expression halfway between annoyed and amused at Mwu's innocent childish smile. "But you look so cute like that.." he murmured, kissing the tip of her nose. Murrue's face flushed bright red at the realisation that most of the people walking by had stopped to stare at them.

After paying for the duvet, (to Mwu's delight) the couple walked on, piling the basket with crockery, cutlery, everything they would possibly need for their life together. While she was somewhere looking at the plant section (even with all the flowers in their garden, she still wanted more...) Mwu found a pretty china mug, patterned with pink and red roses. His face wore a smile as he imagined his Murrue's face when she saw this.

_She'd love this...but there's no way she'd buy it for herself...so this will be my gift to her..._

Paying for it, he had the fragile object wrapped in tissue paper, both so it would not be broken, and so that the one it was intended for wouldn't notice.

Back at the car, Mwu and Murrue sat by the fountain nearby, enjoying the feel of the cool water spraying them, a welcome relief from the heat. Murrue was staring at the parched ground, preoccupied with her thoughts, until she suddenly spoke up.

"So...one step at a time, right?" Mwu nodded, face serious for a change. "Yes, I thought that would be best. I know it's...been a long time since we were together, and that this must be kinda sudden for you..." She looked up at him, surprised at the tone of his voice, for once calm and caring, no trace of laughter. His hand found her thick dark hair, and caressed it gently.

"But.." he continued, still looking down at her, "I think...that we'll be all right. Don't you?"

Smiling, Murrue nodded, looking at the ground again. Her cheeks grew slightly pink. "And will...it always be like this? The same as it's always been? With you being the way you always are, and so affectionate in public?"

He chuckled, the mischievous glint returning to his bright blue eyes. "Why, do I get embarrassing?" He wrapped an arm around her, resting his chin on the top of her head. "Well...for a long time now, I've been alone. And it's only a short while since I remembered you..and the times we spent together - remembered how much I love you. Sometimes, it doesn't feel real, so that's why I..." He peered down at her. "I'm sorry. I'll stop if you want, if you don't like it..."

Her face flushed a deeper pink. "N-no...it's okay...I..."

A gentle smile on his face, Mwu took out the chocolate bar he had bought earlier, breaking it in half. Offering half to Murrue, he tipped his head back and enjoyed the sunlight on his face. The pair sat there in companionable silence, eating the sugary treat.

"Shall we go home now?" he asked. "To _our_ house?"

Murrue only nodded, staring up at him happily. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she brought her lips to his in a loving kiss, which he immediately returned, the back of his mind noting that now **she** was the one being affectionate in public. He saw that her dark eyes were closed in bliss, and he closed his own eyes, pulling her closer. Her mouth tasted sweet from the chocolate, causing Mwu to smile into the kiss.

_Now our life together is just beginning. I wonder what will happen?_

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(Lol.

Please read and review! )


	41. Promises

It was dark in the small room, the night not quite over. Of course, there was no way to tell in space whether it was 'night' or 'day', but the clock on the bedside table still proclaimed the time as very early morning. A couple lay together in the small bed, nestled close to one another, fast asleep. Until, slowly, one of the two opened their eyes, sleepy amber orbs peering around the dim room. She smiled as she saw the time, and snuggled back further into the arms of the one who held her. Closing her eyes again, she breathed in the scent of warm skin and aftershave, relishing in the warmth of being held by the one she loved. Murrue knew what would most likely happen today, all the signs pointed to a huge battle about to take place. She knew perfectly well that Mwu would have to go out and fight, so she wanted to stay here, keep him with her for as long as she could.

_Here, the war doesn't matter. Here, like this, together, we aren't soldiers...so I want to stay here._

Opening her eyes again, Murrue pushed a lock of auburn hair from her face, and looked at the one beside her. He was sound asleep still, handsome face peaceful, a small smile on his face. She sighed happily, and laid back down, nestling her head into the crook of his neck. She knew that despite asking him, he wouldn't stay in the ship, he would go out and fight. It frightened her, knowing that she couldn't prevent him from taking that risk, knowing what could happen...

_No, I'm not going to think about that...it's going to be all right..he'll be okay..._

Propping herself up on her elbows, Murrue stared at Mwu again. Gently, she stroked his bare chest, then his cheek, giggling slightly as he murmured something incoherent in his sleep. Equally gently, she kissed him on the lips to wake him up.

His cobalt blue eyes opened, and he smiled drowsily at her, pulling her closer to him. "Hey..good morning, Captain.."

Kissing her again, he brushed some of her dark hair from her face. "I wish...that this could happen all the time. That...you'd be the first person I saw when I woke up in the mornings, and the last person I saw before I fell asleep at night...forever.."

Murrue gasped, tears beginning to brim in her marigold eyes. Mwu had said things like this before, hinting that he wanted to be with her for always when the war was over. But...he'd never worded it quite like _that_.."Really?"

"Of course.." he whispered. "I'd like that more than anything...you're the first person I've ever felt this way about.."

Murrue laughed, kissing him on the cheek. "Yeah, sure..."

"No, I'm serious.." he replied, stroking her face. "I've never met anyone like you before. I've been with other women, sure.." She looked away at that, biting her lip slightly, face betraying a hint of jealousy.

"But..." he continued, eyes closed, "I never _loved_ any of them. Not really...not like I love you. I never let myself love anyone before, because of the war. I didn't think...that it would be worth it, because of things changing so quickly in that situation. But...you changed my outlook in almost every respect, including love..."

Murrue smiled softly. "It was the same for me, except my reasons were different. I didn't want to love because I was afraid, after...after what happened to _him.._ But then...I fell for you." She sighed, her expression becoming sadder. "I wish...that you hadn't come back at Alaska..." Mwu blinked, blue eyes widening. "Huh?"

"Then.." she almost whispered, "then you'd be safe in California. Then you wouldn't have to go fight." She wouldn't look at him, amber eyes focused almost anywhere but his face. Mwu wrapped his arms around her, bringing her close again.

"Then we wouldn't be together like this, would we? And you...you could have died at Alaska. How could I have let that happen? I'd never have seen you again, and I'd never have been able to let you know how I felt about you. Whatever the risk, it was worth it to me..."

His lover nodded, but her beautiful face was still sad. _She's frightened.._ Mwu realised. _Frightened of what could happen in the battle to come. Now she's learned to love again...she's more scared than ever._

"Hey," he asked, brightening as he thought of an idea. "Can I ask you something?"

Surprised at his suddenly cheery tone, Murrue looked up at him. "Uh...sure, go ahead.."

He grinned. "What did you think of me when we first met that day at Heliopolis?" The auburn-haired woman giggled, exactly the reaction Mwu had been hoping for. "I thought you were an idiot" she answered, impish smile on her face. "Brave, but an idiot."

Mwu pretended to pout. "Is that all? Didn't you even think I was handsome?" Murrue didn't answer, only looked away, pink creeping onto her pale cheeks.

"When I first met you..I thought you were cute..beautiful, really. A little insecure, but cute. And incredibly kind. I don't know...if it was love at first sight, if that even exists, but I know it didn't take me long to fall for you..."

Murrue blushed again at his words. "I don't know when I fell in love with you. I didn't realise how I felt until you left at Alaska..."

Mwu smiled softly, bringing her close for another kiss.

"I'm so glad I met you..the only person I've ever really loved. The only person I've ever wanted to spend the rest of my life with..." Shyly, Murrue hid under the bedcovers, cheeks burning at what he had just said. "S-stop being silly, Mwu.." she muttered, making her lover laugh again. Looking at the clock, he sighed, brushing golden hair from his eyes. "Come on now...it's time to get up."

She nuzzled close under the bedcovers, wrapping slender arms around his waist. "No..I don't want to yet.."

"Come on, Murrue. You're the captain, remember?" She didn't answer, just hugged tighter. He knew what was really bothering her. "Look.." he said, returning her embrace. "It'll be okay. I promise. I'll be careful, and do my best to come back." She buried her face in his chest, sniffling slightly, but not crying. "Why do you have to go out at all?"

He stroked her long auburn hair. "We've been through this before, my love. I don't have a choice. Remember, if I have the ability to make a difference, I should put it to good use, right?" She looked up at him, eyes shining with tears, but nodded, letting him go, and getting out of the bed. After the pair of them finished getting ready, she embraced him once again, leaning her head on his shoulder.

"Please.." she murmured, "please be careful. You know that I love you, and that I'll wait for you no matter how long it takes. That's _my_ promise to you. So remember that, and be sure to come back.."

Mwu leaned down and kissed Murrue passionately. "I love you too. And I promise I'll try my hardest to keep you safe, and come back to you.."

After checking no-one was in the corridor, the couple left the room, with a last squeeze of each other's hand.

Mwu looked down at her as they made their way to the elevator, his beautiful captain.

_I will try and come back..because I want to be with her for always. But I already decided..that whatever it took, I'd protect her. An I will..._

Murrue closed her eyes as they floated down the hallway. _I have a bad feeling about today. I hope...with all my heart, that he'll be safe. But just in case, I'll go to the hangar before launch..to see him off...even if it is tempting fate..._

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( There we is. I wanted Murrue-san to make a promise to Mwu, as well as his promise to her. And it's a promise we know she kept as well. She **did** wait for him, for all that time...and her patience was rewarded XD

Please read and review! )


	42. Copernicus

( Lol, I'm being lazy again... )

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_Archangel_ rested in the docking port at the lunar city of Copernicus, having just arrived from Earth. The stately ship sat in between two Orb _Izumo_-class ships, crew and docking inspectors milling about in the zero-gravity, checking that everything was as it should be.

Neo sat in the ship's mess hall, sandwich in hand, in a rather bad mood. The captains of the other two Orb ships had come aboard earlier that day, first for a meeting with Captain Ramius on the bridge (which he hadn't been allowed to attend), then on a tour of the famous _Archangel_. Neo had spotted them walking down one of the corridors, the smaller figure of his own captain pointing out various features of her ship. One of the visiting captains was pretty old, but the other was just a little older than Neo himself, dark-haired and olive-skinned. The way he stared at Captain Ramius, the way he kept placing his hand on her arm...he was clearly interested in her. The auburn-haired woman had smiled, acted politely, but never once gave the impression that the attraction was mutual.

But the other captain had kept trying, fawning over Captain Ramius all the time he'd been on the ship.

Neo had never wanted to punch anyone so much in his life. He had so wanted to just march over to where the three of them stood, and pull that guy away from his captain, to protect her from him...

_Why do I feel like that? Am I jealous? Is it because...I want her to look at me..and only me? _He sighed. _I'm being an idiot..._

The blonde man looked up as he heard talking coming from outside, then those two Coordinator kids, what was it...Kira? And Athrun - they walked in. The Kira kid smiled as he saw Neo sitting at one of the tables.

"What's wrong? You don't look too happy, Mwu-san..." Neo didn't even bother to correct the boy, just glowered at his sandwich. Athrun smiled too, understanding. "They're gone now...the other captains. Captain Ramius is back on the bridge. She seemed..kind of tired..."

After the two boys had left (chattering about going out into the city) Neo also left the mess hall, making his way to the bridge. When he was alone, he felt rather...insecure, not sure whether he really fitted in anywhere on this ship, even though he had been accepted as part of this crew. But when he was with her...with the Captain, he felt much more at peace.

_I'm happiest...when I can be with her..._

Murrue sat in her chair on the silent, empty bridge, head in her hands. The captains and senior officers had just left the ship, and she was grateful for that. She had been so busy lately, she was tired, and her head was pounding.

_I need a break...I need some sleep..._

"Hey, Captain!" called a cheerfully familiar voice from behind her. The voice lightened her mood instantly, and she turned around in her chair to see the Colonel standing just beyond the elevator, smiling at her. His grin was so infectious, Murrue couldn't help but smile back. It had only been a short space of time since Colonel Lorrnoke had joined her crew, but even in only a few weeks, they had become good friends. He was her constant companion, always by her side.

_He supports me, takes care of me...just like Mwu used to. It feels so strange, yet at the same time...it's so comforting..._

The blonde man walked up to her, placing a hand on the arm of her chair. "Are you okay?"

Murrue smiled, brushing long auburn hair from her face. "I'm all right, thank you" He raised an eyebrow at her obvious tiredness, but didn't say anything more about it. Murrue slumped in her chair, sighing. "I guess...I'm just bored. You're lucky you didn't have escort duty...they just didn't want to leave..."

The Colonel chuckled, leaning against the seat. "One of them liked you more than the ship, it seemed.."

She scowled. "Oh, him? He wouldn't stop staring at me! I hated that!" She looked up at what sounded like a sigh of...relief...from the man beside her, but his scarred face was impassive. _Guess I imagined that..._

Now that Murrue thought about it, the Colonel stared at her a lot too. But he...he was different to that other guy, the other captain. His gaze wasn't a leer, it was...softer, gentler, as if he was happy just watching her. The thought made Murrue's cheeks feel warm, and she stood up quickly, moving towards the front of the bridge, looking out at the scene in the docking bay.

Neo smiled at the way the Captain's face had become tinged with pink. He wondered what she was thinking about. Moving across, he came to stand behind her, just happy to be there with her.

All of a sudden, the Kira-kid's face appeared on the bridge screen. "Well, we'll be going now, Captain Ramius.." Behind the boy, Neo could clearly make out the faces of the pink princess, and that little red-headed girl the Athrun kid had brought with him.

_Oh yeah...they were talking about going out into the city for a while..._

The Captain smiled, amber eyes twinkling. "Okay, but please be careful..." At the boy's confirmation, the screen went dark again. Neo looked across at the younger woman. "Will it really be okay...them going out like this?"

She smiled softly. "It'll be fine. They're just going out into the city for a little while. And her guards are reliable.."

The blonde colonel shook his head. "No, that's not what I meant. You didn't want to go?"

Murrue glanced up at the Colonel in surprise. "Huh?" His handsome face wore a gentle, almost hopeful smile. "If you wanted to go out for some fresh air..I'd be more than happy to accompany you.."

Her eyes widened at his words. "W-what?"

He grinned. "You're always stuck in the ship all the time..and you're in a difficult position as well..."

_What does he mean? Is he...asking me out? _She was immensely flattered, for a moment, entertaining the idea.

_That sounds so nice..just going out for a walk with him. And he's right about me always being on the ship..._It was a wonderful idea, and she was seriously tempted, but - she couldn't. Murrue knew that she had to stay with her ship in case anything happened. Looking up into the man's blue eyes, she smiled. "Thank you. But I'm all right. I'll stay here."

Neo smiled back, but in truth, he was disappointed. He had so wanted to see what his captain was like when she wasn't being a soldier, and the thought of them spending time together as two ordinary people made him happy. Plus...she looked so tired. She needed a rest from her duties. What to do?

Then he grinned as he hit on the perfect idea, remembering one of the rooms on board this ship the captain had showed him when he first joined the crew. Walking towards her, Neo wrapped an arm around her waist. "Okay then, how about you escort _me _around the ship for a while?" She looked down at his arm, then up at his face. "Huh?"

He smiled down at her confused, beautiful face. "Oh, do you want to go take a bath? Together?"

The captain made a sound of choked surprise. "Huh? Hey, wait!" she almost squeaked, as Neo gently steered her in the direction of the elevator. "Maybe you really _are_ a different person, after all..."

He glanced down at her, surprised by her words. "Huh? Really?"

_Maybe she's right..._

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( This part of phase 46 was one of the cutest moments ever. Plus the fact that it was clear even without his memories, Neo-san still retained Mwu's ecchiness XD

I loved the way he asked her to come take a bath, especially the way he said '...isshoni?'

Please read and review! )


	43. Survival

( I was thinking this morning (lol) and remembered that out of all the stories I'd written in my earlier collection, my favourite was 'Inochi', or 'Life', the AU story where _Archangel_ found Mwu after Jachin Due instead of the Alliance. Soooo..I decided to write a 'prequel' to it, where they found him and brought him back... )

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The battle at Jachin Due was over. Fragments of wreckage littered space, a reminder that in war, there were no winners, just the lucky ones who survived. Slowly, verniers almost exhausted, a grey mobile suit made it's way through the black void. Strike Rouge, battery dead, was returning to the small, battered fleet of Orb and Clyne Faction ships. Cagalli was piloting the suit, Athrun sitting on the open cockpit hatch. Kira rode in the mobile suit's hand, worn out from the battle with Providence. As Strike Rouge flew on, it passed a huge amount of wreckage, the remains of a battleship. Even though fragmented, the lines of the ship were eerily familiar...an _Archangel_-class ship..._Dominion. _Kira saluted the wreckage, remembering Lieutenant Badgiruel.

"I guess...the _Archangel_ got them, huh?.." said Cagalli softly, orange eyes sad. Kira nodded, then gasped as more wreckage came into view. A mobile suit. The boy's violet eyes widened as he recognised the head of the suit. Strike.

"Strike? Mwu-san...?" Athrun bowed his head silently. Kira, however, was white-faced. His friend...his mentor, almost...this couldn't be true! Mwu-san always came back from battles!

"Mwu-san!" Kira yelled, trying to scramble from Strike Rouge's hand. "_Mwu-san!" _Athrun floated across to his friend, shaking him by the shoulders. "Kira! Stop! It's too late...don't you see that? There's no way he could have survived that!"

Kira stared up at Athrun, tears swimming in his eyes. "But..Mwu-san...he.."

Cagalli sighed, understanding her brother's distress. Commander La Fllaga had been like an older brother to Kira, and even though he had teased her a lot of the time, the girl knew that he had been a good and kind person. Looking down at Strike Rouge's diagnostic board, she gasped. A tiny light was blinking on the panel, at the coordinates where Strike's wreckage floated. Life signs? No way!

"Kira! Athrun! I'm picking up life signs!" Cagalli yelled frantically. "He..might still be alive!"

As Strike Rouge moved closer to the remains of Strike, the three teenagers could clearly see that the cockpit section of the mobile suit was intact. Kira made as if to float across to it, but Athrun restrained him. "Wait! We don't know how badly hurt the Commander is. And his life signs are so faint... The cockpit is still pressurised, so there's still air inside. But we have to keep it closed...take it back to _Archangel_ as it is. If we opened it...there's no way to repressurise it...he could die."

Kira nodded, then used the tiny microphone in his helmet to call Strike. "Mwu-san! Mwu-san, are you there?" The boy kept shouting, his voice becoming frantic when he recieved no response. "Mwu-san, please! It's me..it's Kira!"

"_Ki..ra..?"_

Kira sat up straighter in shock. "Mwu-san! It's okay..we're taking you back to the _Archangel_...back to Murrue-san. So hang on, okay?" The older man's voice sounded again, faintly. "_Murrue?"_

Kira laughed. "Yes. She'll be waiting for you."

All he could feel was pain..it felt like he was on fire. He hadn't known where he was...even who he was. Breathing was difficult, and all he'd wanted to do was just sleep. But part of him had said **no...you can't. If you sleep, you'll never wake up again...**

At that time..it hadn't sounded so bad. But when he had heard that voice, calling out, he had opened his eyes.

_Mwu-san...Mwu-san...Mwu? That's...me. I'm Mwu, aren't I? Someone's calling to me...a voice I recognise...Kira?_

He'd managed to whisper the boy's name, and Kira had sounded so happy, saying that Murrue-san was waiting for him.

_Murrue-san...Murrue. My Murrue...the woman I love. _Flashes of memory flitted through his mind...a promise made before he had gone out to fight. He had told Murrue that he would come back to her.

_That's why I didn't just go to sleep...didn't give in. Because I promised her. I can see her again..._

As Strike Rouge landed in the hangar of the _Archangel_, medics and mechanics swarmed around what was left of Strike. As the cockpit was opened, Mwu just managed to make out people in white staring up at him, bright lights behind them. Then everything went black...

The doctors aboard the battered ship worked all through that day, and most of the next night to stabilise the pilot's condition. Kira stayed in the mess hall, knowing he should get back to _Eternal_, but wanting to be sure that Mwu-san would really be all right. As he walked back to sickbay, the door opened, and one of the doctors came out, looking absolutely worn out. Looking at Kira, he sighed...then smiled. "It's going to be all right. The Commander's out of danger now..it was touch and go for a few hours, but it looks as though he's going to pull through well. He has a remarkably strong survival instinct, it seems. Very few other people would have been able to live through something like that. He's covered in burns and cuts, and had some internal injuries, but those will be all right." He frowned slightly. "I'm more worried about the shock to his system..he may not be the same person we knew when he wakes up..he might not remember anything..or anyone.." Kira shook his head. "No..it's all right. I was able to talk to Mwu-san before we brought him back to the ship. He knew me, and knew Murrue-san. I think it'll be fine.."

Kira then walked up to the bridge, but it's captain wasn't there. Neumann smiled sadly, and told the young man that the captain had gone off shift just after the battle, and no-one wanted to disturb her.

"It was awful to see her like that...she's heartbroken. Guess she and the Commander really were as close as everyone says..it looks like she really loved him." Kira didn't say anything, just left the silent bridge behind, making his way to Murrue-san's quarters.

_She'll be so happy to find out that Mwu-san's alive..and that he's going to be okay._

Murrue-san wasn't in her room, however. Kira thought for a while, then smiled to himself. Crossing the hallway, he knocked on the door to Mwu-san's room. _This is where she must be...wanting to be as close to Mwu-san as she possibly can..._

After a minute or so, the door slid open, and Murrue-san peeked out. She looked dreadful. Her amber eyes were red-rimmed, the dark circles underneath suggesting a sleepless night. But she still smiled.

"Oh..Kira-kun..you're okay. That's good." Her eyes filled with tears again. "But Mwu...he..." Before she began to cry again, Kira took her hand. "Here, Murrue-san, come with me.." The woman stared at him, bewildered. "Kira-kun...what..."

"We're going to sickbay." Murrue-san frowned. "I'm fine..I don't need.." But she followed him anyway, confused by the smile on the boy's face.

The door to the ship's sickbay swished open, Murrue being pulled in by Kira. She still didn't understand why the boy had been so insistent that she come with him..she wasn't sick, she...

And then she saw.

He was lying there, in one of the beds, sleeping, heavily bandaged, and wired up to a heart monitor. But he was...**alive**. Mwu was alive...he was breathing. Quickly glancing to Kira, a questioning look in her eyes, her heart raced when he smiled, and nodded.

"We found him in space..Strike's cockpit was intact. So we..brought him home."

Murrue could feel the tears building again, as she hurriedly hugged the boy, then tentatively wandered across to where Mwu lay. Stretching out a hand, she brushed her fingers against his thick blonde hair, worried that he would just be a dream..that he would disappear if she touched him. But as her fingertips felt the soft hair, the tears began to fall. He was there.

The doctor came close, smiling. "He's able to breathe by himself, he just needs to sleep off the shock. I can't tell you when he'll wake up, but he'll be okay. I must warn you, though, that he has so many burns...he'll be scarred for life. We can't heal them all."

Murrue shook her head, sitting down on a stool beside the sleeping man. "It...it doesn't matter" She was still crying, but they were tears of happiness, relief. When Strike had exploded before her eyes...the pain had been incredible.

_Those hours..when I thought I was alone again...that was the worst time of my life. It even hurt more than when **he** died.._

Taking Mwu's hand, not caring who saw, Murrue gently lifted his bandaged hand to her lips, placing a soft kiss upon it.

"I'll...stay here with him. I know it might be a long time before he wakes up...but I'm staying here with him."

The doctor looked stern. "But Captain, you can't! Look at you..you need sleep!"

Murrue only smiled, the simple devotion and love shining in her eyes. "I'll sleep here. It's no problem." Leaning down, she very gently kissed Mwu on the lips. "I'm staying here with him...by his side, until he wakes up. He once told me he wished I could always be the first person he saw when he awoke..so I will be..."


	44. Gossip

Any community, however large or small, has a grapevine. A channel of gossip stretching from one person to another. And the battleship _Archangel_ was no different. Crewmembers chattered all the time about things that were going on in the world, with the war, how likely it was that they'd soon be attacked by either ZAFT or the Earth Alliance, and how strange it felt to be fighting alongside ZAFT soldiers, even if they were loyal to Lacus Clyne. But of course, war wasn't a very entertaining subject...because of the risk. It was much more fun to gossip about things happening on the ship. And the biggest source of gossip?

What was going on between the Captain and Commander La Fllaga?

Most people had heard a rumour about something happening between the two senior officers on the bridge back in Orb. But the only two people who had actually _seen_ it were Neumann and Chandra, and despite pleading and constant questioning...they weren't talking. But even though they didn't have any hard facts to go on, a lot of the crew had noticed how differently their captain was acting these days. Before, although she was always kind, and very professional in her role, a lot of the more astute crewmembers had seen an underlying emotion that was always present. A melancholy, almost sadness.

And now...that sadness had all but disappeared. It was still there, beneath the surface, but it was much less noticeable. What had taken it's place...was happiness. The Captain smiled so much more these days, people couldn't _not_ speculate on the reasoning for it, could they?

The Commander had changed too. His smile was normally cheery, sometimes mocking. But when he was with the Captain, his smile was softer, gentler. Plus before, he used to stay down in the hangar bay with the mechanics, tuning up something or other, or pulling maintenance on whatever he was piloting. Now...he was on the bridge much more often...by the Captain's side. Crewmembers there had also whispered about seeing the two of them exchange glances when they thought no-one was looking. And every day, the Commander visited the Captain's office to bring her the logs and reports for the day. That was fine in itself, but he always stayed rather longer than something like that would normally take...

Murrue was in her office, enjoying a cup of coffee. Her cheeks were slightly pink, as it was approaching the time when the Commander would come and visit her. Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm her racing heart, pressing the backs of her hands to her warm face.

_I know..that we've only really been together for about a week..but I wish that I could spend more time with him..._

Sighing, Murrue leaned her head against her desk. Spending more time with the Commander would be wonderful, but was that really a good idea? She had heard people whispering, seen them pointing...did everyone know? She and the Commander had tried their best to be discreet, but it felt like everyone was staring at them. If they were together more...would it just be more fuel for the fire?

A loud knock at the door jerked her from her worry. "Come in!"

As she had expected, it was the Commander. A broad smile on his handsome face, he entered the office, closing the door behind him. "Good evening, Captain!" He looked so happy, his deep blue eyes twinkling. Murrue smiled back, knowing her expression wasn't nearly as happy as his. The Commander frowned a little. "What's wrong?"

Murrue shook her head, dark hair swishing. "It's nothing..." The blonde man sat down on the small sofa in the office, leaning his head against the wall. "It's not nothing. You look worried again. What's bothering you?"

She sighed again. "Have you...have you heard anyone talking...about us? You know, gossip?"

The Commander chuckled. "Not personally, but I'm sure that someone has. You know there's no way we could keep something like this a secret for long, not on a ship this size, with such a small crew... Why, does it bother you?"

Murrue was silent, amber eyes trained on the desk before her.

_I **am** worried what people might think. I don't like the idea of people gossiping about me, or him, or us being together. It's private. Plus...I still feel guilty about being so happy in this new relationship with the Commander - with Mwu. Would **he** be all right with me finding someone else so soon? I know I can't change the way I feel...but also I have trouble getting rid of the guilt..._

Mwu watched his captain from his vantage point on the sofa. Her beautiful face was troubled, and that troubled _him_. He didn't like seeing her sad, or worried, and he couldn't help but wonder what was really bothering her.

_Is it really that she's nervous about people talking...or is it more than that? Does she regret..what happened that day? Is she wishing that it had never happened? Doesn't she want...to be with me?_

"Does it bother you...that I kissed you? Do you regret what happened? Is that why you're worried?"

The Captain looked up sharply, a look of confusion in her dark eyes. "No...what makes you think that?" Leaving her seat, she came to sit on the sofa beside Mwu. "I just feel like...everyone's watching us, that's all. Plus..I still feel a little guilty, because of _him_."

The man smiled, relieved, and slipped an arm around her slender shoulders. "I see. Well, you know that I'm not trying to replace him for you, I could never do that, even if I wanted to. And as for the gossip...is it really so important what people think of us, or what they say?"

The Captain smiled, laying her head on his broad shoulder. "No.." she said softly, closing her eyes. "You're right, it doesn't. And it doesn't make a difference to how I feel, either..."

Mwu kissed the top of her head, and squeezed her hand gently. "Glad to hear that.."

The two sat there together in silence for a while, happy with the other's company. They didn't know how long this fledgling relationship would last, it could easily end tomorrow, or in a couple of weeks...there was no way to tell in war. But there was also the chance that maybe, just maybe, what they had could last forever. And that chance was worth taking...

"I have to go now, okay?" whispered Mwu, letting go of her hand. Leaning down, he kissed his captain passionately, their exchange expressing all the feelings they had kept suppressed while on duty. When they broke for air, he stood up to leave, but she grabbed his arm. "Stay here...just for a while longer.." Her wide amber eyes were pleading. Mwu grinned. "I thought you were worried about people talking?" The Captain giggled. "I don't care anymore. Not today."

Pulling Mwu back down beside her, she snuggled herself close, kissing him on the cheek.

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( Kawaii, ne?

Please read and review! )


	45. Archangel

( Okay. I was asked to write a future story, sort of a sequel to 'Ambitions', I do believe, about when Stellar was 16. Weeeeelll, it's not that long since Alone in a New Place wrote about Mwu and Murrue-san's daughter being 16 in her story collection, so I decided to make mine different from hers. So Stellar's a little younger than 16 in this...)

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The door to the red-brick house opened, and a blonde man walked in, military uniform rumpled and creased, matching cap folded up in his pocket. Setting his bag down on the floor, he was about to remove his boots when a blur of ruffled golden curls shot through the kitchen door and attached itself to his waist. "Yay! Welcome home, Papa!"

Mwu smiled, straightening up. "Hey, sweetie. You have fun at school today? Not get in trouble?" The little girl looked up at her father, pouting slightly. "That's no fair. I don't always get in trouble!"

The man laughed, ruffling the girl's hair. True, Lily didn't always get into trouble, but unfortunately, it was more often than not that she did. Never big trouble, but the seven-year-old was forever trying to see what she could climb up, whether it was walls, trees, or even drainpipes (only once, though). And she was always running around with the boys at her school, getting her clothes torn and dirty...she was a real little tomboy. Trouble was, no-one could stay angry with Lily for long. All the little girl had to go was to look up at her teachers, or parents, with those huge blue eyes of hers, and everyone melted...

Mwu finally managed to remove his boots, and walked into the sitting room. "Where's Mama?" Lily smiled. "She's upstairs, getting ready. Alex is with her."

In the room he shared with his wife, little Alexander was sitting on the sofa, playing with a toy car. When he saw his father and big sister, he babbled happily, and waved his arms. The little boy's amber eyes, so like his mother's, sparkled with mischief.

"Hey, squirt! Where's Mama?" The three-year-old pointed to the bathroom.

After a minute or so, the door opened, and Murrue walked out. And Mwu couldn't help but stare. For the occasion taking place that evening, she was wearing her old Orb uniform, the one she had worn during the last war. It looked to still fit her perfectly. And her dark auburn hair, which had been allowed to grow during the years they had been together, had been cut shorter. It now reached to just past her shoulders...just the same as it had been when they met. Murrue...she looked the same as she'd done the day they were reunited, and every bit as beautiful as she had done the day they met at Heliopolis. Even though they'd been married for fourteen and a half years, to Mwu, Murrue was still the twenty-six year old he had fallen in love with...

"And what are you staring at?" He was shaken out of his daydream to see Murrue's face inches from his, dark amber eyes twinkling.

"Uh...nothing..." Smiling, he held out his hand to her, lifting Alex from the sofa with the other arm. "Well, shall we be going, Captain?"

Murrue smiled back, taking the hand he offered. "We shall, Colonel." The two walked out of the room, finding Lily downstairs watching cartoons. Like her toddler brother, the little girl was dressed in her best, and she eagerly jumped up to join her parents.

"Is it time to go? Onee-chan's still outside..."

Murrue smiled, letting go of her husband's hand to walk out into the quiet garden. Stellar was indeed outside, in her favourite spot at the bottom of the garden. The thirteen-year-old was playing her flute in the twilight, and Murrue stopped just before she reached her, taking in the sight of her eldest child. Stellar had grown to be almost a carbon copy of her mother in looks, except for the cobalt-blue eyes. Mwu was delighted that his daughter was so beautiful, but also wary of the fact that she already had boys swarming around her, asking to walk her home. He was so protective, that Murrue had joked he'd be sitting on the porch with a shotgun soon...

Also, Stellar's personality was very different now from the happy-go-lucky little girl she had been. She was still cheerful, and just as smart, but she was more of a...dreamer now. She was always watching the night sky, looking at the stars, saying she wanted to go and visit them when she was older .So that she could see them better, her parents had bought her a telescope for her fourteenth birthday, just three months away. Stellar was also a talented musician, and often was found sitting looking into space, while the ethereal tones of her flute-playing echoed through the air.

Murrue could happily sit and watch the girl for hours, but tonight, they had to go. "Stellar, sweetie.." she called quietly. "We have to go now..."

Turning around, the young woman smiled at her, blue eyes reflecting the starlight. "Oh, okay, Mom..." Wrapping the flute in it's protective cloth, Stellar walked back inside the house, accompanied by her mother.

The family all together, they set out in the car towards their destination.

It was 15 years since the end of the Second Bloody Valentine War, and the former crew of the _Archangel_ were all on their way to where the stately ship rested in Orb's harbour waters. Since it was unlikely that war would ever come again, the decision had been made to turn the famous 'legged ship' into a memorial. Not quite a museum, but a dedication to the hope that war would never come again, and also a dedication to those who had died protecting the island country. The former crew of the ship had all been invited to the ceremony, along with their families. They were all assembled in the ship's hangar bay, it being the only place big enough to accomodate everyone, and the senior officers all gave a short speech about their old home.

One by one, they all spoke out, about how much this ship meant to them, how it had saved them on so many different occasions, until Mwu's turn came.

"This ship..._Archangel_...it means more to me than I could ever say. It helped me realise what I should be fighting for, and it was the only home I had when...when I didn't have anything else. And if I hadn't ended up on _Archangel_...I'd never have met Murrue. How can you repay something that helps you to have a happy future?"

Beside him, Murrue smiled softly, cheeks turning rosy. A few people in the crowd giggled, but said nothing. Finally, the captain herself stepped forward, the smile still on her pretty face.

"I didn't expect what happened that day at Heliopolis, and I certainly didn't expect to become captain of this ship. I know that I wasn't the best commanding officer, but I'm glad that everyone gave me the chance, and I couldn't have done any of this without the support of all the crew...all my friends. I'm so pleased that I met everyone here, and the times we all spent together as _Archangel_'s crew...I wouldn't swap them for the world. Not even the times of danger, or times..of great sadness..." She looked down at that, amber eyes trained on the deck. Then, taking a deep breath, looked up again, and smiled. "But now..everyone will be able to find out about that. Everyone will know what we did here, how we made a difference.."

Later that evening, the crew milled about the ship, swapping memories, laughing about the things that happened, and remembering lost comrades. The young children of the crew raced about in the empty hangar bay, playing a seemingly never-ending game of tag.

The rest of the old ship was silent, as if it too were remembering the past...

Mwu and Murrue stood together on the upper deck, in the dark of the night. Neither spoke, just stood lost in old memories. Until, typically, Mwu broke the silence. "This is where..we were reunited that first time, isn't it?"

Murrue smiled, turning to him. "That's right. That day in the sunset, when you asked to stay here..."

He looked up, blue eyes trained on the moon. "I'm so glad..you let me stay. I wonder what would have happened if I hadn't? I'd never...never had known. Never had found all this..." He was cut off when his wife placed her hand in his, squeezing it gently. "But you did stay. And there's no way that I wouldn't have let you. So...don't worry about what would have happened. Because we _do_ have all this..."

Moving back inside the ship, the couple made their way to the place their life together had really begun..._Archangel_'s bridge.

"This place...it holds so many memories.." whispered Murrue, looking around the silent command centre. Her fingers brushing lightly against the panels and workstations, she moved around to sit in the old captain's chair. Dark eyes closed, she leaned back, a small smile on her face.

"Do you miss it?" At his words, she opened her eyes again. Mwu was standing there beside her chair, just like he always used to. "Miss it?" she replied. "The place itself, yes, a little. But not the 'constantly under attack' part of it.." Mwu laughed, the sound echoing through the quiet bridge, making Murrue smile at the memories. Taking her hand again, her husband helped her to her feet, leading her to the window.

"This is where it all began, isn't it? Everything...it all started here, that day in Orb.."

He smiled. "Our first kiss..I remember how nervous I was..how I wasn't sure what you'd do..I didn't expect you to kiss me back.."

Murrue giggled. "I didn't expect it either...I was so shocked, I couldn't really do anything else...but I was happy.." She moved closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder. "And from that one moment..look what we have now."

Mwu nuzzled her neck, breathing in the familiar scent from her hair. "You look just the same now as you did then, on that day"

Removing her head from his shoulder, Murrue stared up at him, eyebrows raised. "Don't be silly. How can I? I'm not twenty-six anymore, Mwu.."

"I know that. But to me..you haven't changed one bit. You're still the same to me as you were when we first fell in love.."

Blushing, she stroked his cheek, smiling when he tilted his head into her hand. "You haven't changed either. Maybe that's the secret...as to how couples can stay together for all their lives. Because to each other, they're the same as the day they met.. Will it be the same for us, do you think?"

Leaning down, he smiled, mouth inches from her own. "Well, given that it's been almost seventeen years since that day, and we both still see the other as being the same..I think you're right. Shall we check again in another seventeen years?"

Nodding, she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him downwards into a kiss.

Time seemed to slip backwards, and for that moment, they weren't husband and wife, they weren't parents. They were just the Captain and Commander they had been that day at Morgenroete, that day they had both surrendered to their feelings...the day of their first kiss.

Of all the memories _Archangel_ contained, this was the most precious to them...

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( I think that ended weird. But never mind.

Please read and review! )


	46. Irritant

( Okay. This fic is the result of me, irishdragon, and lithiumflower56 spamming up the forum pages. We all read MapleRose's chapter, 'Daydream', and wondered what it might be like if Murrue-san dreamed about Mwu..)

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_This is so boring..._

But of course, being the captain of this ship meant you tackled all the responsibilites that went with the role. And that unfortunately included a _lot_ of paperwork.

Sighing, Murrue stared at the pile of paper on her desk, all of it waiting to be checked and signed. The pile was almost as tall as she was sitting down, and sat there accusingly, as if taunting her.

_I'm sure Natarle was smiling when she handed me all this. And I bet she knew how tired I was too..._ The almost constant battles the _Archangel_ found itself in took their toll on the whole crew, the captain being no exception. Murrue was very sleepy, even with the sips from the strong cup of coffee that sat before her. Her amber eyes fluttering, she shook her head, and tried to continue with her work.

But it was no use. Closing her eyes, she rested her head on the pile of papers in front of her, falling asleep almost instantly. Her last thought before the slumber overtook her was _if Natarle sees me like this...she'll write it down in that damn book of hers again..._

As Murrue slept, she dreamed. She was in civilian clothes, walking on a beach in the sunset. The setting was quiet and peaceful, with none of the sounds of war that haunted her waking moments. As she walked, she realised that she was holding hands with someone. Looking up, she tried to see who it was beside her, but for some reason, she couldn't make out the person's features.

All she knew was that the person's presence made her feel safe, and happy, and that was all she needed. And in her sleep, Murrue smiled.

The next day, she was again sitting at her desk. Of course, the mountain of paperwork hadn't just vanished in her sleep, and it had to be finished. She'd managed to clear a good percentage of it, but there was still a lot left to be done. Sighing, she stared at the report in front of her, but found that she couldn't concentrate. Her eyes glazed out of focus as she began to imagine being in a place and time far from the ones she was in. Daydreaming may not be professional, but it was necessary sometimes. Besides, what was wrong with dreaming about a world with no war? Wasn't that what they were all fighting for?

In the daydream, Murrue saw the beach she had dreamt of last night. Only this time, it wasn't twilight. The sun shone brightly in the sky, the warmth cascading down upon her. Sea birds cried out their lonely call, high in the sky. Sighing, the auburn-haired woman again turned to the one who's hand she held. In dreams like this, she always saw _him_, the one who had died. Tall and dark-haired, he would stand there smiling, as alive as he had been the last time she had seen him.

But **this** dream...was different. The man beside her was tall, but that was the only resemblance to the one Murrue had expected to see. This man was tall and broad-shouldered, curly blonde hair blowing in the ocean breeze, deep blue eyes full of laughter.

_What in the...what is **he** doing here? Why..am I dreaming about **him**?_

Blinking out of the daydream, she stared at her desk, heart pounding. Why had..Commander La Fllaga...been there? Perhaps it was because he'd been in her office earlier when she was trying to work, chatting to her, teasing her, the way he always did. Sometimes, Murrue thought he only did it to annoy her...but then again, the Commander only came to sit in her office when she was at her lowest ebb..when she was tired, lonely, worried, or simply just bored. He would sit there and chat, crack jokes to make her laugh, or just be a silent companion.

_He does make me feel better...cheers me up..he's my friend. But..he's so annoying sometimes! I don't know why I saw him in my dream..but I don't think of him like **that**!_

Shaking her head, she continued with her work. Murrue never noticed that her cheeks were flushed red.

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One week later, she was again sitting in her office, entering data onto her small laptop computer. The action was numbing and repetitive, and her mind once again kept wandering, taking her far away...

This time, Murrue sat in a garden. It seemed to be the height of summer, she could hear the chirp of cicadas, and she held a cool drink in her hand. He was once again by her side...the Commander. Murrue still didn't understand why he was always in her daydreams, but..she'd come to accept it. And deep in her heart, she had also come to look forward to it. The sunlight sparkled from his hair, turning the dirty-blonde locks almost golden. In the dream, he smiled at her, slipping an arm around her slender shoulders and pulling her close.

And at her desk, Murrue smiled dreamily, chin resting on her hand. Her marigold eyes were half-closed, her pale cheeks flushed pink. She knew she was acting like a teenager or something, but at that moment, she didn't care. Until...

"Captain..Hey, Captain!" Jerking out of the dream, the woman looked up. The Commander was leaning over her desk, boyish grin on his handsome face, eyes twinkling. Seeing at that moment, the one person that she was having silly romantic daydreams about...Murrue's blush deepened instantly.

The man laughed softly. "Were you dreaming, Captain?"

Mwu's grin widened as he watched the captain's cheeks change colour from deep pink to brilliant crimson. She didn't answer his question, instead finding the surface of her desk incredibly interesting all of a sudden.

"It looks like you were having a nice dream..." he went on. "What was it about?" Again, she didn't answer, eyes still trained on the smooth metal surface. Mwu watched her for a moment, wondering what it was that had made her blush so.

_Whatever it was..she sure seemed happy. I wonder what she was thinking about. I wonder **who**? I bet it was the one she used to go out with, or still does go out with. I wonder..what she'd say if I told her I dreamed about **her**? Heh, she'd kick my ass..._

Murrue was furious with herself. She still had no idea why she couldn't get this man off her mind. Why did she keep thinking about him like this? Every time she tried to dream about something else..he was always there. _He's such an irritant! I'm just...lonely, that's all. It didn't have to be **him** I dreamed about...it could have been anybody. I'm just lonely. Seeing Koenig-_nitohei _and Haww-_nitohei_ together just reminds me of that fact._

_Why do I feel so happy when I see this..idiot..in my dreams? It's nothing..I don't think of him that way. I'm just lonely!_

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A couple of months later, Murrue was yet again sat at a desk. But this time, the desk was the one in her own quarters, and the book in front of her..it wasn't work this time. It was her diary. Smiling to herself, she flipped through the pages from the months before, a slight giggle escaping her as she read the entries about the daydreams she'd kept having.

_I was in denial, wasn't I? Denial that I was attracted to him..._

Flicking through the later entries, the descriptions of her daydreams got steadily more romantic as the days passed. Sometimes the dreams were a little...risque, especially of late. But even though Murrue still dreamed of him, as she and Mwu had gotten closer, the timeframe of the dreams had changed. They were no longer of a possible future, instead, they were of just being with him as she was at the moment, here, on this ship.

_I don't need to imagine the future to be happy. Instead, I'm just content with things as they are. Here, with the one I love, in our own little world..._

"Are you dreaming again?" Smile broadening at the familiar voice, Murrue closed the book and locked it in a drawer. "You were fast..." she said softly, turning to the one who had spoken.

Mwu chuckled, hand running through damp hair, bare upper torso still wet from his shower. "Well, I get to be with you tonight, don't I?" Walking up behind her, he gently pulled Murrue from the chair, and wrapped her in his arms. She laughed quietly, head pressed against his shoulder. "But it's the same almost every night..."

Mwu sighed, and sat down on the bed, taking her with him. Snuggling against his chest, she closed her eyes.

"So, now will you tell me?" Startled by the strange question, she looked up at him. "About what?"

"About those times in your office, when I caught you daydreaming. What were you thinking about...blushing like that?" Murrue smiled, and closed her eyes again. "Not telling. It's a secret."

He pouted. "Why not?" Kissing her neck, he whined in her ear. "Please?"

"Nope."

Grumbling, he slumped back against the wall, making her laugh. Then he brightened. "Ah. Okay then..time for persuasion!" He began to tickle Murrue, grinning at her squeals of laughter. "Come on, confess!" She wriggled to try and escape, but his strong arms held her fast. "No!" she gasped, giggling. "It's...a secret!" He continued to tickle her mercilessly, until her face was bright red with laughter, but still she didn't give in.

"I give up. You're made of strong stuff, my love...stronger than I expected. But I'll get you one day. Why wouldn't you tell me?" he asked, letting her go. Breathless from the tickling, she kissed him softly on the lips.

"Because reality is better than dreams..."

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( Heheheheheheh...that was fun. My second offering for today. Hope you likey!

Please read and review! )


	47. Shadow

The small memorial was quiet, only the sounds of gulls breaking the almost sacred silence. The area around the stone was carpeted with flowers, small objects, signs of rememberance. Even though it was two years since the war had ended, this time, for good, it seemed, some wounds took a long time to heal. Especially for one young boy. He stood in front of the shrine, head bowed, black hair blowing in the breeze. His floral tribute was also in place, a reminder of the family he had lost, as well as friends. And a girl...

A short distance away, far enough so the boy wasn't disturbed, a woman stood watching, a baby in her arms. The flowers she had also brought lay at her feet, colourful blossoms ruffling in the wind. The woman pushed auburn hair back behind her ear, a sad expression on her pale, pretty face. She recognized the young man from the commemoration party last year. What had his name been?

Shinn. Yes, that was it. The boy was called Shinn.

Murrue remembered the boy's anger last year, the anger directed at Mwu. It seemed that when Mwu had still been Neo, one of his soldiers, a girl named Stellar, had met Shinn, and the boy had fallen for her. But Neo, being ordered by Djibril, had sent Stellar out in that huge mobile suit, the one Murrue had seen at Berlin. And the girl...she'd ended up being killed.

_Mwu still feels guilty about that...still has nightmares, even now. He told me...he'd promised Shinn-kun that he wouldn't make Stellar fight anymore...that he'd let her live a happy life. But because he was ordered...he had to break that promise..._

_Shinn-kun said he forgave Mwu..but it'll take a lot longer for Mwu to forgive **himself**..._

In her arms, her daughter wriggled around, babbling and patting her mother's cheek. The sound of the baby's voice caught Shinn's ear, and he swung around, crimson eyes trained on who was behind him. Then those eyes widened, as he recognized who was there.

"Oh...it's you! From that party last year...Neo's wife." Murrue smiled, shifting the baby in her arms. "Hello, Shinn-kun. How have you been?"

The boy smiled back a little. "Okay, I guess. I found somewhere to live here, with Luna. It's just...hard..."

Murrue nodded. "Hard to get used to peace, when all you've known for so long is fighting. I know. And...and Athrun-kun told us a little about you - about your family. I'm...sorry."

Shinn's face clouded, and he turned back to the memorial. "Thanks..." The woman watched as the young man fought his emotions, battling back the sadness and grief that still haunted him. "It...I can't forget it..never. I miss them so much..."

Murrue walked over to where he stood, gently placing a hand on his shoulder. "I know. My parents...they died when I was young. It's something you never really get over. People say that the pain lessens as time passes. It sounds like a cliche, I know, but it really is true. In time, you'll be able to better remember the happy times than the sad..."

Shinn looked up at her, tears in his eyes. "Really?" She nodded. "Really. And you're not alone, are you? You have friends, you have that girl...Lunamaria-san, wasn't it? As long as you aren't alone, it will be all right.."

"What about you?"

She smiled, hugging her baby closer. "I have so many friends...it makes me very happy. And as for family, I have Mwu. And I have her.."

Shinn looked at the infant, seeming to notice her for the first time. "I remember..at the party last year, you said you were having a baby..." The tiny girl gave the boy a smile, giggling and waving her arms, making him smile back. "She's cute. What's her name?"

Murrue looked down, amber eyes focused on the baby's head. "Mwu named her..she's called...Stellar..."

Shinn's eyes widened, and he stepped back. "Neo named her that? He named her after someone he sent to die? How could he be so arrogant!" He scowled, and took a step towards the woman and her child. But Murrue held her ground, scowling back.

"Mwu named her that because it's his way of apologising. He can't take back what he did to that girl, and he knows it. But this...he told me that while what he did could never be forgiven, not least by himself, at least this way he could give his daughter the happy childhood and life that your Stellar could never have. Is that arrogant?"

Shinn just stared. Murrue could understand his confusion. He had automatically assumed the worst, indicating that while he may have forgiven Mwu, he was a long way from ever trusting or liking him.

"No..." he said finally. "It's not. But still..."

"Mwu blames himself for what happened to that girl, for all the things he did back then. He doesn't ask for forgiveness, because he believes that he doesn't deserve it. He just lives his life the way he did before, and does his best to make amends whatever way he can..."

Shinn looked down, and Murrue sighed. "I'm not asking you to like him. Just to accept that he's different now..."

She turned and walked away, the baby Stellar still held in her arms. Shinn stood at the memorial alone for several minutes, then turned himself, walking down to the beach. No-one would be there this time of day, and it was perfect to stand alone and collect his thoughts

But on the white sand...someone was already there, looking out to sea, blue eyes reflecting the colour of the water. It was Neo...probably waiting for his wife. Shinn turned to leave, not wanting the man to notice he was there, but it was too late. As if sensing him, Neo looked up, then back at the sea again, expression unreadable.

"I thought...that you'd be there.." he said softly. Shinn raised an eyebrow. "I met your wife there..and your daughter. I see you called her Stellar. Your way of saying sorry?"

The older man chuckled humourlessly. "The only way that I can.."

The boy was slightly taken aback by this Neo..this different Neo. His wife...the woman who was so like Captain Gladys, had asked him to accept that Neo was different now. Was this what she had meant? He had only ever met Neo once prior to that party last year, and hadn't had chance to get much of an impression of him. All he'd gleaned from that brief meeting was the impression of a cold, unfriendly man, face hidden behind a mask. But something in the man's voice...had made Shinn trust him. That same voice was there now..filled with regret.

"Why...didn't you do anything? If those were your orders, why didn't you disobey them? Find a way around them?"

Neo turned to face him. "Don't you think I would have if I could? There were Blue Cosmos spies all over the damn ship! If I'd gone against my orders, Djibril would probably have had my whole crew killed! I was responsible for them as much as for Stellar..."

"And what about everyone in Berlin who was killed? Who was responsible for them?" At those words, Neo turned away, expression of incredible pain on his scarred face.

"Me, okay? It was me! What more do you want me to say? That I'm sorry? What good would those words possibly do? As if a simple apology could ever make things all right. It can't bring them back!"

Shinn just watched the man, understanding some things a little better. "Your wife said..that you don't ask for forgiveness. Is that why? Because you don't believe you deserve it?"

The man nodded. "Nothing I could do now would ever make up for the things I did then. I can never forget them, and I can't tell anyone about them either. The only person who knows everything I did is Murrue."

"Your wife?"

Neo smiled a little, this expression one of slight awe, wonder. "Yes. I told her..because it wasn't fair on her to keep things from her. And she forgave me...for everything, saying that it wasn't really 'me' who did those things. No-one else would be able to say something like that if they knew the truth, but because I have forgiveness from her, maybe one day I can forgive myself a little..." With that, the man turned, and walked away. Shinn could see Neo's wife - Murrue, hadn't he called her? - waiting for him with their baby. The infant reached out to her father, and he tickled her side, making her giggle and squeal. The baby Stellar...her eyes had been the same as her older namesake, wide and innocent, trusting. And just like the older Stellar, she loved Neo. It had also been clear from the conversation with Murrue-san that she adored Neo, or Mwu, as she called him, whatever he had done.

Unconditional love and forgiveness...perhaps just what Neo needed...what everyone who had been a soldier needed.

_That conversation...was the least I'd ever expected. For some reason, maybe because of all the things the Alliance did in the war, I still thought that Neo wouldn't be troubled by what he did, in Berlin, and with what happened to Stellar. But he is..he understands that there can never really be atonement for his actions. And he has one person in the whole world who knows everything of what he did, and still forgives him. I wonder what he'd do...if he didn't have her?_

That evening, Mwu stood on the balcony of his house, thinking about what had taken place that day. He'd asked Murrue to place the flowers there for both of them. Despite her reassurances, he hadn't wanted to do it himself. Too much blood on his hands.

_I guess that...no matter how much time passes, some scars just don't heal._ Inside the house, he could hear Murrue singing a lullaby to their daughter. The simple innocence of the melody brought tears to Mwu's eyes. _How can I deserve any of this?_

A few moments later, his wife joined him on the balcony, hand slipping into his. "Don't you want to say good-night?" He laughed. "I will in a while. Just..thinking.."

She wasn't fooled for a second. "I saw you talking with Shinn-kun down on the beach. You're blaming yourself for everything again, aren't you?"

"But it..." Murrue placed a finger over his lips. "No. How many times have I told you that what happened wasn't your fault? That even if you hadn't been the one ordered to do those things, someone else would have been? You can't keep carrying the weight of all this on your shoulders forever! Djibril was the one who did those things.." Taking him in her arms, she nestled her head on his shoulder.

"You're not Neo anymore..."

Mwu buried his face in her dark hair. "I'll always be him, nothing can change that. His life..my life, they're the same..."

Murrue smiled. "Neo was alone, his heart locked away for two whole years. He wasn't a real person, just a shadow. Mwu, on the other hand, is not alone. He has friends, who know that his shadow did things that he regrets, but who don't blame him for them. He has a daughter, who crawls about after him wherever he goes. And..." she raised her head from his shoulder, and stroked his cheek, "he has a wife, who loves him more than anyone in the whole world.."

For the first time that day, (or it felt that way, at least) Mwu smiled. Bringing Murrue closer, he wrapped her tightly in his arms, her warmth melting the ice that had re-formed around his heart, her scent soothing him. _What would I do..what would I **be**...without her?_

"And she has a husband...who loves her more than life, and will stay by her side forever. Both him _and_ his shadow..."

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( This story ended weird! Waaahhh!

This is for HeavyarmsBuster-01, who requested a sequel to 'Forgiveness' from my other set of stories. It didn't turn out quite the way I wanted it to, but sadly I couldn't write something like this and it not be angst...I hate angst...

Please read and review, and tell me what you think..)


	48. Tiredness

"I am _not_!"

Murrue giggled as her fiance sat up indignantly from where he'd been lying back. He scowled at her playfully, pushing blonde hair out of his face. She had been clearing away the plates from their lunch, and then noticed just how much he'd had to eat. What Mwu had eaten was roughly twice what she'd had, and she couldn't help but tease him about that.

"Maybe you aren't now, but if you carry on like this, you will for sure...". Mwu poked at his stomach with one finger, trying to see evidence of what Murrue was talking about.

"I don't think I'm putting any weight on..besides, why would it matter if I did?" He stood up, and embraced her, her dark hair tickling his neck. "Would you think any less of me?"

She smiled, looking up into his eyes. "No, of course not. It's just fun to tease you sometimes. Since you always tease _me_..."

Mwu grinned, and kissed the tip of her nose. "It's all your fault anyway. If you didn't cook so well, I wouldn't eat so much..."

"And _I_ cook because _you_ can't. Didn't you ever learn? I guess being a pilot, you didn't have time to cook properly, huh? I'll have to teach you.."

He just smiled boyishly at her. "I can make toast, and stuff like that.." Murrue just raised an eyebrow. "But when you tried to boil an egg, you left it until it exploded. Every time you cook, you run the risk of burning our house down."

He pouted at her accusation, letting her go, and wandering out into the garden.

Later that afternoon, Murrue sat at the small table in the garden, finishing up some reports. A cup of fruit tea and an apple sat by her side. Looking up from the papers, she glanced around herself. Even though the atmosphere of Orb was sub-tropical, and as such, warm all the year round, the seasons still changed. Autumn was fast approaching, the leaves on the many trees in the garden beginning to turn, and some already falling. The breeze was cooler too, providing a welcome relief from the heat of the sun. As she sat there, Murrue noticed how quiet it all was. No cars were passing by on the road, no-one talking. The only sounds were those of birds singing.

"Mwu?"

No loud voice announced her fiance's presence, no deep laughter. The silence continued. She didn't understand. Mwu was out here, in the garden, she had seen him disappear into the network of trees, pretending to sulk at her jibe about his cooking.

_Where did he go?_

Getting up from her seat, Murrue picked up her apple and wandered further into their garden, looking out for the blonde man. After a few moments, she found him. Mwu was underneath a tree, large body spread out on the grass, fast asleep. Leaves lay here and there on him, having fallen from the tree above, and his scarred face wore a peaceful, happy smile.

Seeing him there like that, Murrue giggled. _He can sleep anywhere..._

Clearing away fallen twigs, she made a space beside him, and sat on the grass, apple on her lap. The quiet and peace of the day surrounded her, and the sounds of Mwu's breathing, and the birds in the trees were gentle, lulling. Leaning back against the tree, she closed her amber eyes, drifting off to sleep. Her work had exhausted her recently, and a rest was more than welcome...

A few hours later, Mwu opened his eyes, sleepy blue flicking around to see where he was. This place, this hollow in the group of trees, was his favourite place to be in the whole garden, and he smiled happily, moving to get up and go see where his fiancee was.

_Wonder if she got her work finished?_

An incoherent mumble caught his attention, and he twisted his head to the left. Murrue was sitting there, propped up against a tree, eyes closed. She was sleeping. Her pale face was flushed slightly with sleep, and her thin hands were curled loosely around an apple that lay in her lap. Chuckling softly, Mwu reached up and gently stroked her face with his fingertips. Murrue didn't wake up, but she did smile in her sleep.

_She's been working herself too hard again...all that work for Morgenroete. I've told her a dozen times or more to take it easy, but she never listens..._

Sitting up, he gently took her by the shoulders, laying her down with her head in his lap. He looked up at the canopy of leaves above him, blue sky showing between them. Idly, one hand caressed Murrue's auburn hair. It was partly his fault that she was so tired...

_I can't help her with her work, but she always has to cook our meals. And what about after the wedding? What if we do have a kid, like we both want? What'll happen then? _He sighed. _I don't even do as much housework as I should, every time I try, she shooes me away and does it herself...she's so stubborn._

Everyone had their faults, but it took them both living together to see that. Mwu knew that he was rather lazy sometimes, and he couldn't cook to save his life. And Murrue had apologised on several occasions for working too hard, and for being so stubborn.

_But to me...she's perfect..._He laughed quietly, not wanting to wake her. They could see their own faults only too well, but not each other's...

Presently, Murrue stirred in his lap, dark eyes opening slowly. "Mwu?" she asked drowsily after realising where she was. "How long have I been asleep?"

"I'm not sure.." he replied. "But you looked like you needed it. More sleep won't hurt you.."

She laughed at that, sitting up and stretching. "I wish you'd woken me earlier..I have to wash up from lunch, and fix dinner, and.." She was interrupted by a huge yawn, and sighed, nestling against his shoulder. "I wish..I hadn't fallen asleep. Now I'm more tired..." she murmured drowsily. "And I have so much to do still..."

Seeing her so sleepy, Mwu made his decision. Lifting her up in his arms, he carried his fiancee back inside the house, settling her on the large sofa in the sitting room. She never moved once, having fallen back asleep in the short time it took Mwu to bring her inside.

"Tonight.." he told her softly, knowing she couldn't hear him, "I'm doing it all. I'll wash up, I'll make something to eat, I'll clean up after myself. Tonight, you rest, and let someone else do the work for a change..."

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( :sighs: This is what happens when you 'wing it'. It didn't end as I thought it would, but I don't think it's too bad. And I can picture Murrue-san not letting Mwu do any of the work, it's just the way she is...

Please read and review, even if it sucked lol. )


	49. Gentleman

"What is it?"

She turned to face the speaker, pale face drawn and tired. "Oh, it's nothing," she replied unconvincingly, forcing a smile. "It's all right."

He didn't believe her. She knew that he wouldn't. He came closer, and placed a hand on her shoulder, just enough to provide comfort.

She sighed, and leaned her head against the window, coolness of the glass soothing her a little. "It's just.."

He didn't say anything, just stood there, offering support with his presence. She looked up at him, and smiled again, this time genuinely. "I just...I thought that now the war was over, we could all go home. To the lives we used to have...instead we're here overseeing the peace talks." She looked down, amber eyes trained on the deck. "It might sound childish...but I want to go home. I don't want to be like this anymore.."

Mwu smiled softly, and slipped an arm around her. "I understand. My captain doesn't want to be a captain - doesn't want to be a soldier. She just wants to be herself."

Murrue glanced up, into his deep blue eyes. "To just be myself? I'm not even sure what I am anymore. I think that..I'll always be a soldier, but for the last two years, I've been an engineer again. And I'm this ship's captain. Which one is the real me?"

He looked thoughtful for a moment, then grinned. "You're you. All the roles...they don't mean anything when you think about it. What you are isn't the issue, it's _who_ you are, right? And _you_," he continued, tapping the end of her nose lightly, "are Murrue."

She didn't answer, but she did smile. The blonde man watched her for a while, noticing how tired and fed-up she looked. Then he hit on an idea.

"How about this? Tonight, how about we forget all this peace talk stuff? Instead of being treated like a captain, or like a soldier, how about I treat you like a princess? You look like you could use a break, and after all you've done for the crew, and this ship, you deserve it." Murrue looked surprised for a second, then giggled. "A princess, huh? That sounds nice, but can you act nicely enough?"

Mwu pretended to be hurt by that. "Why, Captain, that's unfair. Just because I'm a pilot, doesn't mean I can't be a gentleman too..."

She just laughed, the light returning to her eyes. "I'll hold you to that one, Colonel.."

He cleared his throat, and bowed slightly, extending his hand. "All right, where would milady like to go first?"

She took the offered hand, pink lips pursed as she thought. "I think...that I would very much like a bath..." she replied, trying her best to keep a straight face. Mwu smiled, and together they walked down the corridors of the _Archangel_, chatting politely about everything and nothing, until they reached the ship's bath.

Inside, he handed her one of the towels that waited for the bathers, then sat down on a bench just outside the changing rooms.

"Mwu? What are you doing?" He smiled at her. "Well, I wouldn't be much of a gentleman if I watched a lady while she was bathing, would I?"

Murrue laughed, and held out her hand. "But I'd very much like your company, Colonel. And it's impolite to refuse a lady's request."

Getting to his feet, he took her hand, escorting her into the changing rooms, waiting outside while she undressed and showered.

"Won't you join me?" came her soft voice, causing him to chuckle. "Now what kind of princess would ask something like **that**?" he called back. She giggled as the water was shut off, sticking her head around the door. Her dark eyes were shining, damp hair cascading over her bare shoulders, and Mwu looked away quickly, before his noble intentions were weakened any further.

After his shower was finished, he joined her in the steamy water, sitting at the other side of the bath.

"So, after her bath, where would the princess like to go next? Murrue had her eyes closed, a small smile on her face as the hot water soothed her aching muscles.

"Oh, I haven't thought that far ahead yet...maybe something to eat?" she sighed. Opening her eyes, she couldn't help laughing as she saw him sitting up, perfectly straight, blue eyes focused on the water's surface. The steam glistened on his scarred body, and damp golden hair clung to his cheeks and the back of his neck. The combination made Murrue's heart start racing, and her face felt hot.

_Now I almost wish he **wasn't** acting like a gentleman..._

After their bath, Mwu escorted Murrue to the mess hall. Unfortunately, the cuisine wasn't exactly fit for a princess, and with the fixed benches lining the tables, he couldn't pull out a chair for her to sit down.

"I'm sorry..." he said regretfully, placing the tray of ship's food in front of her before sitting down himself. Murrue simply smiled, waving her hand. "There's no need to apologise. Not everything can be perfect."

The couple ate in silence, sitting across from each other. Every so often, however, they would glance up, catching the other's eyes. He would always smile, eyes twinkling, and she smiled back shyly, cheeks rosy. His behaviour tonight had surprised her, he had been the perfect gentleman.

"Thank you..."

He blinked. "For what?"

"For tonight...for everything, really. For taking such good care of me always.." Mwu reached across the table, taking her small hand into his. "You don't have to thank me. I'll always take care of you, because I love you.." He stood up, her hand still clasped in his. "Now that dinner is over, where would my lady like to go now?"

Blushing at his words, especially the indication that he wanted to be with her after all this was over, she stood up to join him. "I'm...I'd like to go to my room now.." she said softly, mouth stretching in a yawn. "It's been a long day.."

"Very well, Captain.." he replied, leading her from the mess hall, and the two floated down the corridors. They squeezed each other's hands as they went, fingers entwined together, not caring who saw them.

Outside her quarters, Murrue turned to him and beamed happily. "Thank you, Colonel, for a wonderful evening, and for making me feel better..." In reply, Mwu took her hand that he'd been holding, and raised it to his lips in both of his. "You're welcome, Captain."

"I guess you really can act like a gentleman when you want to.." she giggled. Her hand that he had kissed stroked his face, and her other arm curled around his neck. "And now..." she continued, mouth inches from his, "for taking such good care of the princess, what reward would the gentleman like?"

Mwu grinned, surprised at her boldness, and wrapped his arms around her waist. "I think..." he whispered, "the princess can guess. Don't you?"

Nodding, she pulled him toward her and kissed him passionately, the embrace intensifying as the moments passed. Opening her eyes when they broke for air, she reached behind her to open the door to her room. "And now...you don't have to be a gentleman anymore...just be yourself..."

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(hehehehehehehehe...that was fun XD. I think that Mwu could be a gentleman when he tried, instead of the perverted guy we're so used to.

And now, I'm nearing 50 again, ne? Would you like me to stop there, or carry on this time?

Please read and review! )


	50. Worry

_"There are two types of memory. What the conscious mind remembers, and what the body remembers. The conscious mind is very important, but the body is important too. Sometimes when the mind forgets, the body remembers for it..."_

The docking bay of Copernicus was quiet and still. The _Archangel _sat there peacefully, as if it wasn't waiting for orders to launch. With Chairman Dullindal's announcement of his Destiny Plan, and the recent destruction of Arzachel, however, everyone knew it wouldn't be long before the order came. With that in mind, the ships at the lunar city were in a constant state of readiness, waiting for the order which could come any moment.

A blonde man floated down the corridors of the white ship, looking in every room he could think of for a certain person. She wasn't in her quarters, wasn't in her office, or on the bridge, wasn't anywhere that he could find her. Finally, giving up, he went up on deck, wondering for the dozenth or so time why he wanted to be with her as much as he could.

And, standing leaning over the rail...there she was. She was watching the ships and the people down below, but not really seeing them, it seemed. She looked deep in thought, amber eyes betraying all the emotion she felt. Worry, fear, doubt...all the feelings a person really shouldn't be alone with...

"Hey, what's wrong, Captain?" he asked, moving closer to where she stood. The woman turned to face him, surprised to see him there.

"Oh, Colonel.." she said softly, smiling at him. Neo just stood there, watching her. The smile never once reached her eyes, just as he had thought. She was hiding her feelings again. "Nothing really.." she continued, looking down. "Just..thinking is all..."

He raised an eyebrow. "About?" He'd come to know his captain well enough in the last few weeks to know when she was hiding something, and today, she certainly was.

_I can tell. She came up here alone because she didn't want the crew to see her worried. She always does that, not wanting anyone to see her pain. But I can always see it. Because...it feels like I've known her forever..._

Murrue sighed, realising that she hadn't fooled the blonde man. "It's just...I was wondering. I know that what we're doing is right, but.." She paused, running a hand through her auburn hair. She remembered all too well that snowy day, reassuring Kira-kun when _he_ was the one worried. "I told Kira-kun once..that fighting to protect what you loved, and what you believed in, was never wrong. But...but what about the ones you're fighting? They must feel the same..." She looked up at the Colonel again, seeing concern in his deep blue eyes.

"Everyone says that after Arzachel...Orb will be next.." she continued. "And we have no reason to doubt that...I know that Chairman Dullindal considers Orb a threat. But do most of the ZAFT soldiers know that? They wouldn't be told something like that...some of them must have family in Orb, after all. They'd be just told to protect Requiem without knowing why. And from my experience, what you don't know..can get you killed. When that thing fires...I can't see most of the ZAFT commanders caring who gets caught in the crossfire. It-it's just like Alaska.." Murrue paused for a moment, fighting back painful memories of that day two years ago, when she and her crew had been left to die.

"Do we have the right to kill people who don't even understand why they're fighting?"

Neo smiled gently, placing a hand on her slender shoulder. "I think that they **do **understand, at least a little. They'll fight to protect their homeland, just as the Orb fleet will. They don't doubt that they're doing the right thing, so you can't, either. Okay?"

The Captain still looked troubled. "I know. But still...the _Minerva..._"

Now he understood was was really bothering her. The Kira-kid had told him that the captain had actually met the _Minerva_ captain back in Orb, before the whole war started again, and that she had liked her a lot. _She doesn't want to fight her..._

Stepping forward, he wrapped an arm around her, bringing her close to him. His other hand gently stroked her long dark hair.

"It'll be okay..." he whispered. "I'm sure that she doesn't want to fight you either.." She sighed, and leaned her head on his shoulder. "It's...I wish that...there was another way.." she said quietly, her voice becoming hitched. A tear ran down her cheek and disappeared into the fabric of Neo's uniform.

He was taken aback by this, as she began to cry softly in his arms. "Hey, hey, don't be like that!" His heart twisted at the sound of her sobbing. _I hate seeing her cry...I feel so helpless..._ "There's no need to cry. I know that you're stronger than that!" He leaned back, away from her, and looked into her beautiful marigold eyes. "It's okay. Even if we have to fight, I'm sure things will work out. Besides, even if you beat _Minerva_, no-one says that you have to destroy it, do they? And..and we all believe in you, so please don't cry.."

The Captain sniffled a little, and there were still tears on her cheeks. But she did smile, and nodded. "O-okay.."

He smiled back, glad that he had been able to reassure her, and leaned down, his face close to hers. "Because...you make everyone sad when you cry.." he murmured. Pushing her dark hair from her eyes, he gently began kissing her tears away, not really aware of what he was doing...

After a few moments, he stepped back, only to see a vivid red flush on the Captain's cheeks. As he watched, she shakily put a hand to her face. "Y-you...I..." she stuttered, not able to meet his eyes with her own. Neo was confused. Why was she acting like that?

Then it hit him.

Stepping back, he coughed nervously, staring at the floor. "S-sorry! I'm sorry! I don't know what...it's like my body acted by itself! I..I..."

Murrue still stared at the deck, face still bright red. "N-no...that's okay, I..."

_He did that...Mwu, when I was sad. When I cried, he would hug me close, and kiss my tears away, to reassure me. Just like the Colonel just did. He wanted to make me feel better...did he remember what Mwu used to do...without really remembering?_

She looked up at him, seeing how he was also staring at the deck. His scarred, handsome face wore such an expression of worry and guilt, that her heart melted.

"Thank you.." He looked up suddenly, confused. "Huh?" She smiled, a little giggle escaping. "You made me feel better." She knew her cheeks were still pink, but she still smiled. "You helped me more than you realised.." _Because now I know without a doubt that you really **are** Mwu..._"So..thank you." Moving close to the Colonel, she rested her hands on his shoulders, and stood on her tip-toes. Placing a soft kiss on his cheek, she walked off, leaving him standing there in a daze, this time...him the one blushing...

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( :grins: I liked that. Quote at the beginning courtesy of Tsubasa Chronicle, btw.

Enjoy, and please review! )


	51. Quiet

The _Archangel _sat silently in space, accompanied by the _Kusanagi _and _Eternal_. Peace talks at the PLANT colonies had been going well, better than most people expected, and the ships were on their way back to Copernicus. Before that, however, Cagalli had wanted to discuss the recent talks with Kira and Lacus, so she had gone across from her own ship to _Eternal_. Although Murrue herself was part of the delegation, today she wasn't needed. Cagalli had said that she only had a few things to iron out with her brother and friend, and that Murrue should get some rest, as she'd worked harder than any of them over the last few days.

But of course, even though Murrue now had time for a well-deserved break, that's exactly what she wasn't getting. She had a lot of paperwork to finish, stuff that had been piling up over the few days she'd been busy with the peace talks, and as a result, holed herself up in her office, rarely leaving except to get food or a shower.

_I miss her.._

Funny that. Even though she was right there, on the same ship, she seemed so far away. And she'd given strict orders that she wasn't to be disturbed by _anyone_. Mwu had quite clearly heard the emphasis on 'anyone', and had gotten the message loud and clear. And even when she ventured from her office to eat, or sleep, he never saw her. It made him very lonely.

_She can't be sleeping properly like this..a few hours here and there. Burning the candle at both ends will just make her sick..._

So he made a decision. Even though she might get mad at him, even though he might get thrown out of her office, he was going to go and see her.

Murrue sighed, leaning her head on her desk. Her work was almost finished, the neat pile of finished reports sitting on the other side of the room. All this time she'd spent in her office..it had been worth it after all.

_And when I'm finished, I'm going to treat myself. A nice hot bath, a proper meal...and then I'm going to go see Mwu. I feel bad for not even talking to him in the last few days, and I really missed him.._

A soft knock on the door startled her. "Who's there?" The door was locked from the inside, only she could open it, and she wasn't about to do that without knowing who it was...in case they brought her more reports or something...

"It's me..can I come in?" Mwu. Part of her wanted to shoo him away so she could finish, but...she'd been so lonely...

Pressing the button on her desk, she watched as the door slid open. He was standing there outside, and his face lit up in a huge smile when he saw her.

"Are you okay?" he asked softly, stepping inside and sitting in the chair opposite. Murrue smiled. "Yes, I'm fine.."

He sighed, leaning forward and pressing a hand to her forehead. "You're kinda warm. If you carry on like this, you're gonna get sick."

She looked up at him, seeing his blue eyes so full of concern. _I can never fool him, can I? _"I still haven't finished, though.."

Mwu reached out and took her hand. "There's plenty of time for that. We aren't even back at Copernicus yet. Please, will you take a break, start again tomorrow?"

She stared down at the pile of papers still left to finish, then at her hand, still clasped in his. Which was more important?

_He is. He's the most important person in my life. My work...it can wait._

Standing up to join him, they left her office, floating down the corridors until they reached the observation deck. This was a favourite place of theirs, where they came to talk, or just stand together watching the stars, as they did now.

"Is it quiet?" Mwu turned to her, confusion on his handsome face. "Huh?" Murrue pointed out into space. "Out there. It must be quiet.." _I haven't had much peace and quiet recently..everything's been so busy... _"It must be kinda nice.."

He turned back to look out at the stars, small smile on his lips. "You ever been out there? Without a ship, I mean."

She shook her head. "I've never had reason to..I always wondered what it might be like, though.." Mwu grinned, and, taking her hand again, began to pull her away from the window, further down the corridors.

"Where are we going?" He just chuckled. "Wait and see. Trust me."

In _Archangel_'s hangar bay, Mwu led his captain into the pilot's locker room, leaving her standing there at the entrance, expression of confusion on her delicate face. "What are you doing?" she asked softly, watching him as he rooted around in a cupboard at the back of the room. "Ah! Here, put this on." he shouted, throwing a bundle of material towards her. Murrue caught the bundle and unrolled it, frowning as she saw it was a pilot's suit, pale blue and white.

"What's this for?" she asked, feeling the thick material between her fingers. Mwu just smiled, opening a locker to take out his own suit. "Just put it on, and I'll explain in a moment, okay?"

After she had done that, he took the helmet that was part of the suit, and placed it on her head, making sure all the seals were correct. "There we go. It suits you," he teased, kissing her on the nose, before donning his own helmet. "Come on, let's go."

The pair re-entered the hangar, and Mwu kicked off from the deck, pulling Murrue along behind him, up to the tall golden form of Akatsuki.

"We can't!" she gasped, realising what he had in mind. "You can't just go out in that thing, you need to get permission.."

He just laughed, entering the cockpit and pulling her down onto his lap. "But you're the captain. Why would I need permission from anyone else? But I did clear it with the bridge while you were putting your suit on. So relax."

Akatsuki launched from the catapult deck, shooting out into space. The mobile suit didn't go far, just stayed hovering in the void a little way beyond the ship, but it made all the difference. Murrue gasped, her breath condensing a little on the visor of her helmet.

"It's so quiet here..." She turned to him, amber eyes alight with happiness. "Can..can we go outside?"

In answer, he opened the cockpit door, revealing the vastness of space beyond. Carefully, she moved off his lap, towards the door, and...disappeared through it.

"Murrue? Murrue! Where did you go? Be careful!" Mwu called, scared at her vanishing. It would be so easy to get lost out here...

"I'm all right!" she called, poking her head through the door. "Here, come on!" She took his hand, and pulled him out to join her. Sitting on the cockpit hatch, they looked up at the stars together, both saying nothing, just staring. Earth was clearly visible to the left, just beyond the moon.

"We'll be home soon.." mused Murrue. Mwu nodded solemnly. "Yeah..."

She looked up and around, at the myriad stars surrounding them. "When you're out here, piloting...does it ever get lonely?

"Sure, a little. It's easy to get lost out here. Sometimes..it all reminds me of Jachin Due...what I can remember of it."

She leaned her head on his shoulder, and squeezed his hand through the thick gloves. "Don't think about that anymore. Here, come on, let's go back inside.."

Back on the ship, the couple floated to the officers quarters' deck. It was pretty late now, and Murrue hadn't had anything like enough sleep in the last few days. She was fighting back yawns, her eyelids fluttering. Moving towards her room, she bid Mwu a vague 'goodnight', but it ended up being almost a squeak when he took her arm and pulled her inside his own room instead...

"H-hey!" she protested, trying to get free, but he held on, bringing her close and hugging her tight.

"I missed you, okay?" he murmured, sitting down on his bed, and taking her with him. She grumbled something under her breath, but still ended up snuggling up to him, which made him laugh as they both lay down together.

"You've been so busy lately, I haven't seen you in over a week.." he clarified, bringing her close for a kiss. Closing her eyes, she kissed him back, resting her head on his shoulder when it was over.

"You're right. I needed this break. And..and I missed you too..." she whispered drowsily. "I love you, Mwu. Thank you for today.."

"You're welcome, princess. Love you too..."


	52. Teacher: Part One

The alarm's strident call shrilled out loudly, causing the woman in the bed to jerk out of her slumber. Wincing at the noise the alarm was making, she reached out from the bed to switch it off, hitting the button so hard, the tiny clock fell from the bedside table onto the floor. She sighed, sitting up in the bed and stretching. Why was getting up twice as hard when you had work?

"Mwu..." she murmured, gently shaking the one who slept beside her. "Time to get up.."

He mumbled incoherently and huddled himself further into the blankets, causing Murrue to roll her eyes. "Now, come on. You have to get up. You start work today, remember? At the academy? You can't be late!" He opened one blue eye and stared at her for a few moments. Then, with a colossal sigh, he heaved himself from the bed and stumbled down the wooden steps into the bathroom.

Murrue smiled, putting on her robe and going downstairs to fix breakfast. In the kitchen, she could hear the sound of the water running, as well as humming, which made her giggle. Fixing toast, coffee, and cereal, she sat and ate while she waited for him to finish.

_I wonder if he's nervous at all? Anyone would be on the first day in a new job..._

About ten minutes later, Mwu wandered into the kitchen, back in the blue and white Orb uniform he hadn't worn since the last time they were on _Archangel_ together. His sleeves were rolled up and the collar undone, making Murrue shake her head in exasperation.

"Look at you. You can't go looking like that..." Adjusting the uniform, she pointed to the table. "Come on now, breakfast's ready..."

He grinned and hugged her, face nuzzling into her hair. "Thanks, sweetheart..."

She flushed pink, still not being used to pet names, and wriggled out of his grasp, but not before he kissed her cheek. "I-I have to take a shower, okay?" With that, she disappeared upstairs. Mwu smiled again, then sat down at the table, poking at the cereal with a spoon for several minutes. He knew that he really should eat something, but..damn, he was nervous.

_I don't know..if I'll be that good of an instructor. Do I really have what it takes to be a teacher?_

"Mwu?" He looked up to see Murrue standing there, wavy dark hair damp from her shower. She was already dressed in the red and green uniform of Morgenroete, and her bag was over her shoulder. "We have to go soon. Aren't you going to eat?"

"It's okay. I'll get something from the cafeteria. I'm not that hungry.." She frowned, worry showing in her amber eyes. "Are you all right?"

He laughed, standing up and throwing an arm around her shoulder. "I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?"

_If she knew I was nervous, she'd only worry more..._

The pair of them drove to work, and he dropped Murrue off at the Morgenroete works. Before exiting the car, she turned to him and smiled. "I know that you're nervous, but don't worry. It's going to be just fine. I'll see you when you get home.." She leant forward and kissed him gently, then got out of the car, waving as he drove away.

Mwu smiled to himself as he drove towards the academy, chuckling at his girlfriend's reassurances.

_Funny. I'm usually the one to comfort and reassure **her**. Maybe she's worried too?_

The academy was busy this time in the morning, students walking to and from classes, on their way to morning roll-call. Mwu himself entered through the visitors' reception, and the smiling lady on duty pointed him in the direction of the principal's office. He was inside the small room, waiting, and his face lit up in a smile when he saw Mwu.

"Good morning, Colonel. Welcome to the academy. Do you have everything you need?" At the blonde man's silent nod, the principal beamed again, seeming not to notice how nervous Mwu was, or else not concerned by it. "Now.." he breezed on, leaving his chair and leading Mwu down a set of corridors. "You'll be instructing the new students, the beginners who've just started here today, like you." Pushing open a door, he gestured to Mwu to stay outside. "Now, class, welcome to the academy. I know a lot of you must be nervous, hmm? But there's no need to worry. We're here to help as well as instruct you. And now, let me introduce your new teacher.." He beckoned to Mwu, who stepped into the room, looking around at the students with interest.

"This," said the principal, "is Colonel Mwu La Fllaga. He'll be your instructor for this year.." The students looked at Mwu in awe, making him feel very uncomfortable. A lot of the girls in the class stared at him wide-eyed, which made things worse. The principal laughed. "I take it you've heard of the Colonel, then?" Most of the students nodded."Well then, it seems as though I don't have to carry on the introduction. I'll leave you all to it then." With a final smile, he left the room, leaving Mwu alone with a room full of kids.

_Oh boy. Now what do I do?_

Walking over to the desk, he flicked through the syllabus book, checking what should happen on the first day. He screwed up his scarred nose at what he read. Most of it was dry, boring stuff, preliminary questioning, a test..they wouldn't learn anything this way. Snapping the book shut, he looked up at the class. "Okay. Let's get things started." Pointing randomly at a boy near the back of the room, he grinned. "You. Why do you want to be a pilot?" The boy gulped, startled at the question. "Well, I...I want to defend Orb.." Mwu frowned. "But the war's over now. So how come you still want to defend the country?"

"Because if something _does_ happen again, I'll - _we'll_ - be ready. Orb was in real trouble last time, because no-one ever thought they'd need to fight again. This time..if we do have to fight, we'll be ready. We want to help..."

Mwu smiled again. "That's a good enough reason. Even if you don't have lofty ideals, the desire to make a difference is all you need."

One of the students raised a hand. "Why did you become a pilot, _sensei_?" The man laughed at being referred to that way, and shrugged. "Because I was pretty good at it. I didn't really have a deeper reason back then. After I ended up fighting for Orb, I began to feel the same way as you guys do"

One of the girls asked a question next. "Why did you become a teacher? You're a really famous pilot, people all over the world have heard of you. So why give that up to do this?"

He blinked, surprised. "Well...I guess it's because I was never really bothered about the fame. Sure, it was nice to be recognised for what I could do, but it was kind of a double-edged sword. Since the other side had heard of me too, it made them all the more eager to shoot me down, and claim fame for themselves. Plus..no-one can keep doing the same thing forever, right?"

Mwu spent the rest of the first morning getting to know his new class, happy that they all seemed to be good kids, honest and smart. A few of them were jokers, but he knew that every class needed a clown, and as long as they studied hard, it wouldn't be a problem. The girls whispering and pointing did make him uncomfortable, though...

At lunch, he was shown to a tiny office, with a little desk underneath a window. He'd managed to grab a sandwich and some coffee from the cafeteria, and he set these on the desk, as well as a small picture of Murrue he'd brought with him. As he sat there in the quiet room, eating the sandwich, his phone rang.

"Hello?"

_"Hi. How is everything going?" _Mwu's face lit up at the sound of her soft voice, and he leaned back in the chair, sandwich forgotten for the moment. He laughed. "It's just fine. They're good kids, they kinda remind me of the way Kira and his friends were back when all this first started..." Murrue laughed too. _"You see, I told you it would be all right, didn't I? All that worry for nothing.."_

"Say what you like, princess, but I know that you were worried too, am I right?" teased Mwu, his grin broadening at the embarrassed silence on the other end of the line.

_"...no fair.." _she muttered softly. Then her voice became more cheerful. "_Well, enjoy the rest of your day, and I'll have dinner ready for when you get home, okay? See you tonight!"_ He smiled, looking at her picture on his desk. "Yeah. Love you.."

_"I love you too..."_

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( This is part one. Part two should be up tomorrow, it still needs more work XO.

Please read and review! )


	53. Teacher: Part Two

( This is part two of my 'Teacher' story. Hope you likey! )

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Before class started for the afternoon, a group of girls were sitting outside on a bench, eating lunch. Their topic for the day? The new teacher. Most of these girls were older students, and they were more than a little jealous of the new starters for having him to teach their class.

"Isn't he some kind of war hero?" asked one of the younger girls, taking a bite from her sandwich. One of the others nodded. "He fought at the Grimaldi Front in the first war and got his nickname there, 'Hawk of Endymion'. After that it gets a bit confusing. Official reports have him fighting with _Archangel_ for a while, then being killed in Alaska. But Orb records have him coming here with that ship, and then being killed at Jachin Due. Nothing after that...until recently. It's like..he came back from the dead or something..."

The young women were silent for a while after that, wondering what kind of circumstances would conspire to make something like that happen.

"But...it _is_ him, right?" asked the youngest, nervously. The others laughed. "Yeah. That's one thing everyone's sure about."

An older student grinned, and leaned back on the bench, face turned to the sunlight. "Another thing I'm sure about...he's **cute**.."

A flutter of girlish giggles flowed from the people on the bench as they whispered and wondered about the handsome blonde pilot.

"Do you think he's single?" That brought more laughter and chattering from the group of teenage girls, until one of the male students passed by and heard what they were talking about.

"You can keep dreaming, but you won't get anywhere. One of my buddies was a junior technician on _Archangel_ on their mission to Copernicus, and he told me about the crew he served with. The Colonel was part of that crew, although he was called something else, because he'd lost his memories and been with the Earth Alliance for a while." The boy frowned. "Or something like that, anyway, I'm not too sure. But he ended up getting his memories back..and ended up back together with his girlfriend.."

The girls blinked. "His girlfriend?"

"Yep. _Archangel_'s captain. You must have seen pictures, or at least heard of her. She's beautiful. By all accounts, they love each other a lot, and my buddy says everyone thinks they'll get married real soon.."

Before long, this news passed along the academy's grapevine, until it reached the new class. Like most of their schoolmates, the girls in the class were rather disappointed, and wondered what this girlfriend of their teacher's was like..

That afternoon, in class, Mwu ran into the room slightly late, breathless from getting lost in the academy's winding corridors. "Sorry, guys!" The students giggled as his cap fell off and rolled across the floor, and he picked it up and shoved it in his desk drawer. "Never liked those things much anyway.." He looked up at the class, and smiled. "So, what shall we do this afternoon?"

One of the girls in his class raised a hand. "_Sensei_? Can I ask you a question? Some of the people are saying that you date your captain..is that true?"

Taken aback by this, Mwu laughed nervously, running a hand through his long blonde hair. _How do I answer this one?_

"Uh..well, yeah. But she's not my captain anymore, and it was never a problem for either of us anyway..."

The girl smiled a little. "What's she like?"

"She's the most beautiful and kind person I've ever known, and I'm lucky to be loved by someone like her.." replied Mwu simply. Then he grinned again. "I might bring her in one day, she could teach you guys about battle procedures.."

Taking a ream of paper from the store cupboard, he walked around the room, handing each of the students a couple of sheets.

"Here's something we could do this afternoon. Why don't you guys show me just how much you know about flight? You can work alone, or in teams, but I'd like for you to build the best and most flight-capable aeroplane out of this paper that you can. Okay?"

"Do we get a prize?" yelled one of the kids at the back, making Mwu grin as though he wasn't much older than they were.

The rest of the afternoon was filled with laughing and shouting, some incredibly complicated and top-heavy paper creations flying (or attempting to fly) across the room, and cookies for the winner.

After class had let out, Mwu drove home along the busy roads, the sun setting in the sky. The traffic was pretty bad, as it was around the time most workplaces let out for the day, but he didn't mind. He wound down the window, letting the cool evening breeze blow over him as he whistled along to a tune on the radio. The traffic didn't bother him, as he was feeling happy about the way today had gone, and also the fact that _she_ would be waiting for him when he reached home.

And she was. As he walked through the door, she turned to him from the stove, smile lighting up her beautiful face. "Welcome home! How was the rest of your day?" Setting his bag on the floor, he walked up to Murrue, embracing her and planting a kiss on her cheek. "It went great.." Peeking down, he sniffed the appetising smell coming from the pan on the stove, and smiled happily, nuzzling into her neck. "That smells good.."

Murrue laughed as his hair tickled her neck. "Yes, I know. Go make yourself useful, and get some plates and stuff ready, okay?" Giving her one last kiss, he did as he was told, laying the plates on the table as the dark-haired woman ladled the stew out, giving Mwu an extra helping.

"What's that for?" he asked, seeing how she hadn't left much for herself.

"Because you've been working.." she replied, smiling sweetly. He sighed. "But it's not like I did much. And your job is much harder than mine. I bet you had a lot to do today, am I right?" Murrue didn't answer, just focused marigold eyes on her plate, thus confirming his suspicions. "Well then, shouldn't it hold that you should have more than me, not the other way around?"

Carefully, Mwu spooned up some of the stew, and added it to her plate. She opened her mouth to protest, but he wouldn't hear of it.

"Come on now, eat up. I'm sure you must be hungry.."

Murrue sighed, but began eating quite quickly, which made him smile, knowing that she'd most likely have skipped lunch while she was working.

"Some of the kids were asking about you today.." She looked up from her plate in surprise. "And what did you tell them?"

"That my girlfriend was the most beautiful and kind person I'd ever met.." he replied cheerfully, watching her sudden blush in amusement. "I wish...you'd stop exaggerating, Mwu.." she murmured, staring back at her stew.

"Who's exaggerating? It's true!" He grinned mischievously. "And what about you? When people ask you if you have a boyfriend, what do you tell them?" Murrue's blush deepened, then she looked up, smiling innocently. "I tell them that he's an idiot." At his pout, she giggled, then reached across the table to take his hand. "But that he's very handsome, and that I love him very much"

Mwu smiled happily, and kissed her hand. "I'm glad. I told the kids that I was lucky to have you, and I am. The fact that you waited for me..I had no idea that you thought that much of me.." She looked down. "Neither did I...until you..."

Standing up, he walked around the table, and pulled her up gently into his arms. "Now, now..don't start that again. I'm here now, remember? And we're together, so don't be sad anymore. This time, I can always be here." Running his hand through her hair, he smiled as she hugged him close, resting her head on his shoulder. "Thank you.." she whispered, and he kissed the top of her head.

"You're welcome, sweetheart. Now, shall we finish dinner?"

The rest of the evening was filled with chatting and laughter, as the couple discussed their day, telling each other about everything they had done, and everything they planned to do the next day.

Work really wasn't so bad after all...

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( Heh. I meant to write this all as one story, but time only allowed for a two-parter (dammit) The part about the girls was fun to write, as I imagine a lot of students would act the same way if someone as hot as Mwu was their teacher XD. I know I would...

I hope you liked this, please read and review! )


	54. Departure

"You did it!"

The crew of the _Archangel_ were lined up in ranks in the ship's hangar bay, just as they had been before the ship left Orb. But this time, they were at Copernicus, about to head off back to PLANT. All they had needed to do was to stop here to pick up one special passenger..

The girl had shot through the hangar bay doors, her excitement and enthusiasm clear to see. Blonde hair flying, she'd thrown herself at a rather confused Kira, laughing happily. This display by the Chief Representative of Orb was rather different from the dignity she'd shown as the ship left Orb. Now she was much more like the eighteen-year-old she was meant to be. Letting go of her twin brother, the girl ran and hugged Lacus as well, who hugged her back, giggling. The rest of the crew smiled as they watched, knowing how hard it must have been for Cagalli to have had to stay behind on Earth while everyone else risked their lives for her and their country.

Finally, letting go of her friend, the young official turned to the crew, and bowed in gratitude.

"Thank you so much...for saving Orb, for doing your best to bring an end to this war.."

When the crew dispersed back to their duty stations, Cagalli turned to Kira. "Where...where's Athrun?" The boy looked apologetic. "Since he knows most of the _Minerva_ crew, he and Meyrin-chan stayed behind at PLANT...to sort of be mediators, as a lot of them are angry about their ship being taken out. Plus, since Captain Gladys was killed, a lot of them are kind of...bereft."

The girl looked disappointed, but she did seem to understand. Nodding slightly at Kira, she floated gently over to where _Archangel_'s senior officers stood.

"Captain Ramius...thank you. I know that you most likely didn't want to fight _Minerva_...so thank you." Murrue smiled softly, reaching out to the young girl and placing a hand on her shoulder. "There was no other way, I know that. And it was worth it..because we were able to help save Orb." The girl looked down sadly. "I wish I'd been able to talk to Captain Gladys one last time..when I was on her ship, it seemed like she understood what would happen, with the war and everything." Sighing, she brushed blonde hair from her eyes, and looked up at the man standing beside the Captain. "Well, Colonel, did you take care of Akatsuki? It's not damaged?"

The tall blonde man grinned, blue eyes twinkling. "Not a scratch, ma'am" he replied, saluting.

Cagalli frowned. _Something about him seems different. Back in Orb before..he was respectful, quiet. Now he's..teasing me? He's just like..._

Later, as she was talking with Kira and Lacus, she remembered that conversation. Looking up at her brother and friend, she decided to ask them about it. "The Colonel..he seems different now. Did something happen?"

Kira smiled a little. "In the battle to destroy Requiem, he was out there in Akatsuki. The _Minerva_ fired their positron cannon straight at _Archangel_, and he blocked it, just as Strike did at Jachin Due. But...something different happened this time. He got his memories back. He's Mwu-san again now."

Cagalli grinned. "I knew it! That's why he's different..why he was teasing me! The captain..she must be so happy." Lacus beamed. "It's so nice to see them like this..they're inseparable now, almost."

As the _Archangel_ left the lunar city to return to PLANT, Cagalli discussed ideas with Murrue and the other captains, as well as Kira and Lacus. The best course of action, it was decided, was that Cagalli should be accompanied inside PLANT by Lacus and the fleet captains, to give the best impression they possibly could.

"Plus.." said Murrue softly, "if the worst should come to the worst, at least they'll know we have a pretty big military force. But I don't think that'll happen."

As the ship sped towards it's destination, Murrue stood with Mwu on the observation deck, explaining the situation.

"So..I'll be part of the peace delegation to PLANT. I'm not sure how long it'll all take, but I will be away for a few days at least, maybe a week." Mwu looked surprised at that, but then grinned. "Great. I'll come too!"

Murrue sighed, pushing back dark hair from her eyes. "You can't, Mwu. Only the captains are going. And someone has to take command of _Archangel_ if I'm going to be away.."

He wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close to him. "Can't the kid do it?" he whined. She looked up at him, seeing the sad expression in his eyes. "No...Kira-kun has to stay on _Eternal_, because Captain Bartfeld is coming to the talks as well..."

Now Mwu felt even worse. His lingering jealousy towards Bartfeld still hadn't completely disappeared, even though Murrue had reassured him that they had only been friends. And now Bartfeld was going to spend the next few days - maybe even a week - with Murrue.

_It's not fair. He spent the last two years with Murrue..time I never had. And now he's spending the next week with her, when I've only been reunited with her for a couple of days?_

Not to mention the fact that he still didn't trust those Coordinators. The kid, the princess, the others on _Eternal_..they were okay. But those last two years with the Alliance...he'd been taught to be suspicious, wary. And knowing no different...

He knew that there was no need to be this way. But habits were hard to break...

"Do you really have to go?" he asked, knowing how childish he sounded, but not caring. "Can't the others take care of this?"

Murrue leaned into him with a sigh, the scent from her hair enveloping him. "I wish they could. But all captains have to go, and the ship ZAFT knows best is _Archangel_. If I don't go..it could be awkward."

She brought him close in a hug. "I have to go back to the bridge now. But I'll come find you when my shift ends, okay? We won't be at PLANT till tomorrow." With a light kiss to his cheek, she was gone, leaving nothing but the trace of her kiss, and her scent behind. Mwu sighed, and turned to look out of the window at the silent starfield beyond.

The next morning, Murrue awoke early at the alarm's beeping, and quietly slipped out of bed, not wanting to wake the one who slept beside her.

_I don't want to wake him up...because I'm not sure I want him there when I have to leave. Because saying goodbye is still painful..._

"Murrue?" His sleepy voice sounded from the depths of the pillows. She turned to him as she finished dressing, leaning down and kissing him on the forehead. "Get some more sleep..it's still four hours before your shift starts.." Opening one blue eye, he stared up at her. "Then why are _you_ awake?"

"Because I have to go, remember? To the peace talks?" His other eye opened as he remembered the conversation from the day before, and he got up himself, retrieving his uniform from where it lay on the floor, and donning it hurriedly.

"Mwu..you don't have to get up.." she protested, knowing that it would do no good. He didn't answer, throwing on the hopelessly crumpled jacket, then taking her into his arms.

"Mwu!" Murrue gasped, amber eyes widening in surprise. He hugged her tightly, face buried in her hair. "Please..." he muttered, "please come back soon, and promise me that you'll take care of yourself, okay?" She smiled, resting her head against his shoulder. "I'm sure I'll be all right, but I promise that I will." Standing up on the tips of her toes, she pressed her lips to his in a loving kiss, which he immediately returned. The kiss dragged on for several minutes, neither of them wanting to let the other go, not knowing when they would be able to be together again.

Finally, the need for air forced them to break apart, and they simply gazed at each other. But of course, time was something that couldn't be stopped, and she needed to leave soon. His fingers ran through her thick auburn hair gently, as if memorising the way it felt. "I love you..you know that, right?" he whispered, and she smiled. "I do. And you know that I love you. I'll be back soon.."

In the hangar bay, the small boat that would take the delegation across to the hourglass-shaped PLANT colonies waited. Kira gave Lacus and his sister hugs in farewell, and watched as they climbed aboard. Murrue stood before Mwu, smiling softly, but her dark eyes betrayed her sadness. Raising her arm, she saluted Mwu. "Well, Colonel, please take care of the ship for the next few days.." He saluted back. "I will, " he replied softly. "You know that you can depend on me, Captain.." Murrue nodded, turning around and heading for the boat. Just before climbing aboard, she turned and looked back, a hint of tears in her eyes. Then she was gone.

As the boat left the ship, Mwu sighed. _It's so dumb. The way we were acting, it's like she's leaving forever. But we both know that's not true. She'll be back in a few days. But it's hard. The last two times we said 'goodbye', we never knew if we'd see each other again. I guess...we both still remember that too well._

But she would come back. And he'd be here waiting when she did. She had given him the responsibility of taking care of her ship, and he would do just that.

On the boat, Murrue looked back at her ship as she sailed towards the PLANT colonies. She was angry at herself for being so miserable.

_It'll only be a few days..why am I acting this way? It's probably because goodbyes are still hard for the two of us. And I've only just gotten him back. But it'll be all right. _She smiled to herself. _He'll be waiting for me, I'm sure of that. And then we..don't have to be apart again. This time, it really can be forever..._

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( XD please read and review! )


	55. Lunchtime

The small red car sped over the quiet roads, heading towards the large collection of buildings near the seashore. The man in the driver's seat smiled as he got closer, his long blonde hair blowing backwards in the breeze caused by the vehicle's movement. The radio blared a cheerful pop song, making the man's mood brighter still, and he whistled along to the catchy tune.

Once a week, he made this journey at this time, to spend lunchtime with his wife. When they'd been first married, he used to do this every day, until her supervisor had complained. So, they had decided once a week would be fine.

Parking the car in the visitors' section at the Morgenroete facility, Mwu entered the building, looking all over for signs of the one he searched for. She wasn't in her tiny cubbyhole of an office (although her bag and jacket were there, hung over the chair) and she wasn't in the cafeteria. Wandering out into the large underground hangar, crammed with ships under repair, or just in dry dock, he sighed. However was he going to find her in a place as large as this?

"Fllaga-san!" came a familiar voice to his left, Turning, Mwu saw Erica Simmons, the director of the facility, driving up to where he stood in a small jeep. "You're looking for Murrue?" He nodded, then grinned ruefully. "I would be, if I even knew where to start looking..."

Erica smiled. "I was just on my way to find her myself. Hop in!"

Doing as she'd said, Mwu looked around him at the ships, wondering which one his wife was working on today.

_She'll have been so busy, she must have forgotten what time it is. Typical Murrue...always working herself too hard..._

Stopping at a grey _Izumo_-class ship sitting right at the back of the huge hangar, Erica pointed to an open maintenance hatch on the ship's deck. "She's in there." Raising her voice, she cupped her hands around her mouth. "Hey, Murrue!" she yelled, but got no answer. The sounds of machinery in the dock, as well as the loud music being played by radios brought by the other workers, they all drowned out Erica's voice. Sighing, the woman sat back in the jeep's seat. "It's no use, she can't hear me. You go up there, she's been working all this time without a break, and without someone to 'persuade' her, she'll not eat at all..."

Getting out of the jeep, Mwu nodded his thanks to Erica, climbing aboard the ship as the jeep sped away. Peeking inside the hatch she'd pointed out to him, the man couldn't help grinning. Murrue was indeed there, totally absorbed in the work she was doing. She looked to be checking the connections that ran from the ship's bridge to the other systems, such as weapons and life support. Her dark auburn hair was tied into a messy ponytail, and her face and jumpsuit were covered in grease and what looked like hydraulic fluid. Amber eyes focused totally on the job she was doing, Murrue never noticed the one watching her, until she heard an amused chuckle.

Startled, she dropped the tool she was using, and looked above her. "Mwu!" she gasped. "You scared me!" He just laughed again. "Sorry, didn't mean it. I just wondered what you were doing, that's all..." Murrue frowned. "But what are you..oh!" Glancing at her watch, she scrambled out of the hatch, he helping her. "I'm sorry! I didn't see what time it was! How long have you been waiting?"

"Not long, don't worry. Erica showed me where you were."

Climbing into the tiny jeep she used to get about the vast hangar, she looked apologetically at her husband, who simply shook his head. "Don't worry, it's okay." Noticing her stained clothing, he grinned. "You been down a coal mine or something?"

She looked down at herself, at the black streaks of oil and grease, and at the similar state of her gloves, and sighed. "A hydraulic line broke..I spent all morning fixing it.."

As they reached the hangar entrance, she parked the jeep and hopped out, running to her office while he waited. Washing the dirt from her face, and removing the jumpsuit and gloves, she grabbed her bag, running back to find Mwu. Together, they made their way up to the overhead gantry where they normally ate, watching the movements of the people and ships far below.

"What's that?" Looking surprised at his question, Murrue looked to where he pointed. A small ladder led up from the gantry to a closed hatchway above them.

"I think it leads to a walkway on the roof.." she said thoughtfully, then clocked the grin on Mwu's face. "You want to go up there?"

In reply, her husband stood up, taking her hand, and together they climbed up the ladder and out onto the roof.

"I hope it's okay for us to come up here.." Murrue wondered aloud, leaning back against the railing. Mwu smiled. "If it wasn't, wouldn't the hatch have been sealed? Or at least locked?"

"I guess..." she sighed, tipping her head back. The bright sunlight stung her eyes after being so long underground, and she winced. The sun was hot, but a cool breeze blowing from the sea took the worst of it away, and she smiled, stretching her arms. "This feels so good..."

"It sure does.." he agreed, opening the foil-wrapped parcel he carried. After letting the sun beat down on her pale face for a few moments, she turned to him. "What have you got?"

It was a large ham and cheese sandwich, which he proceeded to bite into with relish. Murrue giggled. "You could probably fit that in your mouth without having to bite into it.." Mwu pretended to scowl. "You saying I have a big mouth?"

In reply, she laughed again, opening the box which contained her own lunch. She had made herself tuna salad the night before, and she began eating, only now realising how hungry she was. Mwu leaned over, curious. "Why do you have rabbit food?"

She rolled her eyes. "Rabbits don't eat tuna, honey..."

"I know _that_..." he protested, blue eyes twinkling. "But I meant this.." He reached out and poked at the chopped tomatoes and lettuce that made up part of the salad, scarred face wrinkling in distaste. "Rabbit food."

"It's better for you that what you have.." she scolded gently, which only made him smile. "Yeah, but I bet it doesn't taste as good.."

Breaking off part of his sandwich, he pushed it into her mouth, laughing at her surprised mumble.

Managing to swallow, she sighed. "Yes, that does taste good. Now it's your turn.." Scooping up a forkful of the salad, she pushed that into _his_ mouth, smiling wickedly at his disgusted expression.

As they sat eating the rest of their lunch, Mwu slipped an arm around his wife's slender shoulders. "So, how are you feeling today?"

Taking a sip from the bottle of water she had with her, Murrue smiled a little, rubbing her stomach. "Not too bad. I haven't been sick at all, just felt kinda queasy this morning. I guess..he's starting to settle down now.."

He couldn't help but be relieved. Most mornings, Murrue was sick, or at least felt terrible for a few hours, and even though he knew it was perfectly normal, he was still worried. Pulling her closer, he kissed her cheek. "That's good to hear. But you always say 'he'. How do you know?"

"I don't.." she replied quietly, still stroking her stomach. "But we can't call him 'it', can we?"

"True. So, what do you think we'll have? A boy, or a girl?"

She smiled, leaning back into him. "I don't care. Whatever we have, they'll be loved regardless. Because..they'll be our baby. Part of you and me. What does it matter about being a boy or a girl?"

Mwu just nodded, wrapping his arms around her. "You're right. What time will you be home tonight?"

"Probably pretty early. Erica's started making me go home around three, saying seven hours is long enough.."

"She's right." replied Mwu. "You can't keep pulling nine or ten hour shifts now. You need to take it easy." Murrue just frowned. "You're just the same. I keep telling people I feel fine.." Looking at her watch, she began to pull away from him. "It's time now..you'd better go, or you'll be late for work."

He sighed, tightening his grip. "A few more minutes.." Leaning down, he pressed his lips to hers in a short kiss, inwardly smiling when her annoyed expression melted into a happy one, her cheeks pink as her eyes closed and she kissed him back. When they broke for air, he stroked her cheek. "I'll see you when I get home. And no running about making dinner, _I'll_ do it tonight."

He had gotten much better at cooking, after her lessons when they were first married, and felt confident enough now to cook for both of them without her help.

"All right, " she said, getting to her feet, and together they climbed back down into the hangar. "I'll see you then. Be careful on your way back, and have a good afternoon.."

He kissed her lightly on the cheek, making his way down from the gantry. "Same to you, sweetheart, and don't lose track of time!"

Grinning, he looked up at his wife as she waved goodbye, and left the hangar. Murrue just smiled and shook her head, feeling much more cheerful than she had that morning.

Lunchtime was much more enjoyable when you didn't spend it alone...

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( Heh lol, that was fun. Sadly, I don't get the option of spending lunch with Mwu. But next time I'm at work, I might imagine it XD. Or..just go and sit with the animals maybe.

Please read and review! )


	56. Lost

The open-air market was crowded and busy, the sunny Saturday afternoon being perfect for shopping. Stalls of every kind lined the walkways, people browsing each one of them with interest. Through the crowd, a little family wandered around the market, laden down with bags from their afternoon's shopping. They didn't usually shop here in the market, but friends had regaled them with stories of the great things you could find there...almost everything you could think of. The woman glanced across at her husband, who's hand she held, and smiled. "So, what shall we get for our dinner?" He pressed a finger to his chin, thinking. "Hmmm. How about fish? We don't get that much, do we? And there are a lot of fish stalls here.." He looked down at their little girl, who was clasping her mother's hand tightly. "What do ya think, munchkin? Fish sound good?"

She smiled happily, bouncing on her toes. "Yay!" She looked around at the forest of legs around her, then up at her parents. "There sure are a lot of people here, huh?" Murrue nodded, pushing auburn hair back from her face. Kneeling down, Mwu rested his hand on the little girl's head. "Okay now, Stellar. You remember what Mama and I told you? You always have to keep hold of her hand in crowds like this, 'cause it's easy to get lost. And if you do get lost, always remember to stay in one place, so it's easier for us to find you quickly. All right?" Stellar nodded, a serious expression on her face. "Okay, Papa."

Moving on, the three of them arrived at a huge fish stall, the display packed with every kind of edible sea-life anyone could imagine (and possibly some that they couldn't..) Mwu kept hold of Stellar's hand as Murrue went to buy what they wanted. "Man, there's a lot of stuff here.." Lifting his daughter up, he pointed out the display of crabs. "Look how weird they are!" The four-year-old's blue eyes widened. "Wow...their eyes are on sticks! Why is that, Papa?" Mwu blinked. "Uh..I'm not sure. We'll have to take a look in a book when we get home, okay?"

After Murrue returned, he set the little girl down, she immediately taking hold of her mother's hand again. "What else are we here to get, Mama?" The woman looked thoughtful for a moment, then smiled. "How about we get some cake? For dessert?" Both Stellar and Mwu cheered. "Yay, cake!" squealed the little girl. "Can we get chocolate? Chocolate's the best ever!"

As they neared the large confectionery stall, a loud shout sounded from just behind them. "Stop right there!"

A man raced through the crowds, dodging and weaving around the large mass of humanity, being followed by an angry tide of people. The resulting noise and confusion caused panic, and people ran here and there, bumping into each other, some being pulled along by the pursuers. In the midst of all this, Murrue lost hold of Stellar's hand. The tiny girl vanished into the swarm, disappearing in a matter of moments. Murrue looked around wildly, but it was if her daughter had never been there at all.

"Stellar? _Stellar!"_

When the crowds returned to normal, the little girl was nowhere to be seen. Murrue stood alone in the middle of the walkway, not knowing what had just happened, where her husband or child was, or what she should do next. Looking around, her amber eyes lighted on a small object lying on the ground just ahead. A blue hat, embroidered with red butterflies. Stellar's sunhat.

Picking it up gently, Murrue held it close to her, a few tears disappearing into the fabric.

_Where is she? Where did she go?_

"Murrue!" Mwu ran up behind her, resting a hand on her shoulder. "Are you all right? Where's Stellar?" In reply, she turned to him, tears in her eyes. "I-I l-lost hold of her hand in the crowd..I can't find her!"

Hugging her gently, he kissed her cheek. "Don't be scared. She's a smart kid, and this place isn't all that big. I'm sure we'll find her soon.." Nodding slightly, she took his hand, and together the couple searched for their missing daughter. They looked everywhere they could think of, everywhere they had already been, but there was no sign of her. They called out her name until their throats ached, but there was no answering cry from the familiar little voice. With every step they took, their spirits sank further. Arriving back at the cake stall where they had last seen her, they asked the stall owner what had happened.

"That guy who was running..he stole jewellery from a shop up the road, and tried to lose himself in the crowd here. But too many people saw what he did..and they chased him. That's where that huge mob came from."

Murrue leaned across the stall. "Did you see what happened next? Our daughter was lost in the crowd..she's only four...please, have you seen her?"

She went on to describe her little girl, and what she was wearing that day, but the owner shook his head.

"I do remember seeing her with you two, but not since then. Why don't you try the camera room? It's just up ahead and to the left. They keep watch over the whole market. If anyone's seen your daughter, they will have."

It turned out that they hadn't. The police had been by earlier, looking for evidence of where the jewellery thief went, and had taken all the tapes of the man and his pursuers going through the market. And what they had left..they showed the couple. The crowds in the area were dissipating now, but there was no sign of Stellar. Thanking them, Mwu and Murrue left, sitting down on a bench outside.

Her head was in her hands, the tears leaking from between her fingers.

"I-it's all my fault.." she sobbed "I shouldn't...have let go of her hand. What if.." Mwu took her hands, and tilted her head up to face him. "Don't say that! Don't even _think_ it! None of this is your fault, how could it be?" Hugging her tightly to reassure her, he looked out over her head, blue eyes filled with worry. Murrue was still crying, her tears soaking his shirt front.

"She's so little still..she must be so scared!" All he could do was rub her back soothingly. "It's gonna be all right. We _will_ find her, we just have to keep looking!"

_I've never felt so helpless in my life..I can't do anything! _

He'd fought in countless battles, beaten impossible odds...but he couldn't find his own daughter?

"Mama? Papa?"

_Where did they go? Why can't I find them?_ Stellar looked around her as she walked, looking for anything familiar, or any sign of her parents. But they were nowhere in sight. And all those people who had gone chasing after the first man had pulled her along with them. She'd tried her best to get away, but they'd been too strong. She'd heard Mama shouting, and had shouted back as loud as she could, but everyone else had been too noisy.

After she'd been able to get away from all the other people, Stellar had run everywhere looking for Mama and Papa, but she couldn't find them. And she didn't know where she was. _What did Papa tell me? '__If you do get lost, always remember to stay in one place, so it's easier for us to find you quickly. All right?'_

She'd been running for a long time, and she was tired and hot. Crawling underneath one of the stall tables, she waited there for Mama and Papa to come find her. The hiding place was shady and cool, and the little girl leaned back against the wall, tired out after her running. Closing her eyes, she fell asleep. _They'll come find me soon, I know they will..._

When Stellar woke up, it was a lot quieter. Crawling out from under the stall, the little girl saw that a lot of stalls were closed now, and people were starting to go home. But Mama and Papa weren't there..they hadn't come to find her. Walking a little way, she founf a bench and sat down, tears building in her eyes.

_Mama and Papa said they'd find me if I stayed in one place..but they're not here.._She started to cry, the tears streaming down her cheeks. _Did..did they go home without me?_

A couple walked together through the quiet marketplace, chatting and laughing about their day. The girl smiled, brushing back magenta hair from her face, as she nibbled the chocolate cream _taiyaki_ her boyfriend had bought for her. Together, the two of them had been shopping for dinner, and they were on their way home. The girl was about to ask her boyfriend to buy her some soda, when suddenly, they heard crying. On a bench up ahead, sat a little girl. She had dark hair, and was clad in little blue overalls and a red T-shirt. Her face was buried in her hands, and her tiny body shook with the force of her sobs. The older girl ran over, kneeling down in front of the child. "What's wrong, sweetie? Are you lost?"

The little girl looked up from her hands, the tears running from her bright blue eyes and down apple cheeks. She was adorable. She sat there silently, staring at the pink-haired girl for several minutes.

"Oh, I get it!" said the older girl with a smile. "You're not meant to talk to strangers, huh?" Sitting down on the bench beside the child, she smiled. "Well, my name is Luna. And his name.." she said, pointing to her silent boyfriend, "is Shinn. So now we aren't strangers anymore, are we? What's your name?"

The little girl sniffled, rubbing her eyes with her fists. "M-my name is Stellar.." she hiccupped. Luna smiled. "That's a cute name. How old are you, Stellar?"

"Four" said the girl. Then she looked up at her new friend. "Luna is a pretty name. Did your mama give you that name?"

Luna was surprised for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah. My mom named me and my little sister." Stellar nodded. "My papa named me... Luna-san..have you seen my mama and papa? I got lost..a lot of people came running past us..and they pulled me away from Mama..even though I wasn't s'posed to let go her hand.."

Luna frowned. "I'm sorry, but I haven't seen them. What do they look like?"

"Mama has hair like mine, but her eyes are orangey-coloured, and she's real pretty. Papa's bigger than her, and he has yellow hair, and blue eyes like me. And he has a stripe on his nose.."

Shinn had been quiet up until now, but at the child's description of her parents, he gasped. He'd been trying to place where he'd seen the little girl before, and now the penny had dropped. The girl looked just like her mother, and he remembered seeing her before..as well as her father.

"I know them.." he said softly, causing both Luna and Stellar to look up in surprise. "You know my mama and papa? Have you seen them?" the child asked. "No, not today, " replied Shinn, "but I have met them before." He looked to Luna. "This kid..her father used to be with the Alliance. Remember that girl we found, Gaia's pilot? He was her commanding officer." Luna's blue eyes widened. "Gaia's pilot? The girl you took back to the Alliance? What was her name..." Then it hit her. "Stellar!"

The little Stellar stared up at Luna."Huh?"

Shinn nodded. "And her mom's _Archangel_'s captain. I met them at the party a year after the war, you remember?

"So..you've met Mama and Papa before?" said the four-year-old, blue eyes wide. "Are you their friend?"

Shinn smiled sadly. "Not exactly.."

Stellar frowned at this, not understanding. She was about to ask something else, but was interrupted by her stomach rumbling loudly. Luna giggled. "Hungry, huh? Here you go." She broke off half of the _taiyaki_ she still held, and handed it to the little girl.

"What's this?" asked Stellar, poking at the treat.

"It's like...pastry, with chocolate inside. It's really good!" replied Luna, eating her half. Hesitantly, the child nibbled at the pastry, a smile lighting up her little face as she realised her new friend was right. "It's yummy! But..why is it in the shape of a fish?"

Luna blinked, then laughed. "You know, I have no idea."

Stellar looked thoughtful as she ate. "Mama bought fish for dinner..and she was gonna buy cake too." Tears built up in her eyes, and she stared up at Luna. "Mama and Papa said that if I stayed in one place they'd come find me..but they didn't!" She started to cry again. "Did..they go home without me?"

The pink-haired girl hugged the child as she cried, stroking her dark hair to soothe her. "Of course not. I bet you they're looking for you just as hard as they can. This market's a big place, but until they find you, we can stay here with you, okay?"

The sun was setting. the sky turning shades of orange and yellow. The market was practically empty now, the crowds of shoppers having gone home now. But one couple was still there. Mwu and Murrue wandered the lanes between the stalls, searching for their daughter. It had been several hours since Stellar had disappeared, but they were still no closer to finding her.

Mwu glanced across at his wife, who clung to his hand like it was all she had. Her pretty face was even paler than normal, amber eyes red-rimmed. But the lift of her chin, the spark in her eyes...she was determined to find her little girl, no matter how long it took.

_No matter how hopeless it seems, she never gives up..._

It had always been the same. Even when the situation was dire, in the midst of war, Murrue had never given up once. She refused to admit defeat, and always tried her best, something Mwu had always admired her for. Squeezing her small hand, he smiled when she turned to him.

"Let's try down there. We haven't been that way yet.." Murrue didn't answer, but she nodded. Together, the couple turned to walk down a small alleyway, still looking everywhere for Stellar, and calling out her name. The alleyway led to a small square, lined with benches, with a small fountain in the middle. Up ahead, they saw three people sitting on one of the benches. And one of them was...

"Stellar!"

The little girl looked up in surprise, then her face lit up in a huge smile. "Mama! Papa!" Scrambling off the bench, she ran full tilt towards her parents. Murrue knelt down and held out her arms, the tears running down her face, heart racing.

_She's okay! We found her!_ Gathering her daughter up in her arms, Murrue hugged her as hard as she could, the little girl nuzzling into her neck. "I'm sorry, Mama!" Stellar sobbed, crying her heart out. "I didn't mean to get lost!"

"No, no, sweetheart, it's okay! It wasn't your fault. We're just so happy you're safe!" Mwu nodded, ruffling his daughter's hair.

Murrue and Stellar were his entire life, and the thought of losing one of them, even if only for a little while, was incredibly painful.

Stellar looked up at her mother, kissing her on the cheek. "I was scared...but Luna-san and Shinn-san found me.."

Mwu and Murrue glanced at the bench, seeing for the first time the young people sitting there.

"Oh..Shinn-kun! And Lunamaria-san! Thank you so much!" Murrue wiped the tears from her eyes, smiling gratefully at the pair. Lunamaria smiled back. "You're welcome. It was no trouble, she's a real cutie.."

Thanking them again, Murrue hugged Stellar closer, as if she never wanted to let the four-year-old go again. The little girl looked up at her father, and held out her arms. "I did what you said, Papa..I stayed in one place and everything!"

Mwu smiled, taking Stellar into his arms. "That's my good girl. Shall we go home now?" She nodded, resting her head on his shoulder, eyes closed. "Yeah..I wanna go home.." she murmured sleepily, worn out from her day.

Together, the little family turned and walked away, Mwu and Murrue holding each other's hand tightly, the gesture one of pure happiness and relief.

Luna and Shinn watched them go, the girl smiling. "They seem such nice people!" Shinn nodded thoughtfully. "I guess that..he really is a better person now..."

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( Damn, that was a long one. I tried hard to capture how Murrue-san and Mwu must have felt..losing your kid in a crowded place is every parent's nightmare. I hope I did okay

Please read and review! )


	57. Treasure

The day was warm and pleasant, a light breeze whispering through the trees, and ruffling the hair of the woman who sat at the small garden table. Smiling gently, Murrue adjusted the sunhat she wore, leaning down over the small pile of paperwork she was busy with. After all, no matter what happened in your life, there was always something to catch up on. Even when what had happened was as life-changing as this..

Murrue turned her head to the chair beside her, marigold eyes softening. A tiny baby slept peacefully in the carrier on the chair, dark wisps of hair fluttering in the breeze, blue eyes tightly closed. Her daughter. Gently, so as not so disturb the infant, Murrue adjusted the parasol attached to the carrier, so the heat of the sun was deflected away. Baby Stellar shifted a little in her sleep, but didn't wake up.

Her mother smiled, leaning back in the chair and stretching. She'd been into work earlier that morning, to collect what was waiting in her in-tray. Mwu had taken the car when he'd gone to work that morning, leaving her no choice but to take the bus, then walk the rest of the way, her daughter in her carrier.

Erica had been furious, but hadn't shown it at first. All Murrue's co-workers had squealed and fussed over Stellar, while Erica had stood by at the back, waiting to speak to Murrue alone.

_"What are you doing here?" Murrue smiled sweetly, papers in hand. "I just didn't want to get too far behind with all this." Stellar babbled a little, blue eyes focused on the stranger. Erica's stern expression melted slightly at that, then she sighed. "Murrue..it's okay to leave it. You should be resting! She was only born a week ago...if your husband finds out about this.."_

_The younger woman shook her head, sliding papers into her bag. "He won't. I'll hide it. Please..don't tell him." Erica sighed again, and nodded. "All right. Just as long as you don't pull this kind of stunt again. You must be tired still. Wait there, and I'll give you two a lift home._

_"But Erica, I..." The supervisor fixed her with a sharp glare. "No 'buts'!"_

Murrue smiled. After Erica had brought her home, she'd practically shooed her inside and made sure she sat down on the sofa. She'd glared once more, as if _daring_ Murrue to get up, then gone back to work.

She **was** tired, she couldn't deny that. But the work wouldn't finish itself, so after getting herself a cool drink, she'd gone outside with her papers, and her daughter, to enjoy the sunshine. Congratulation cards still lined the windowsills and bookcases, sent by all their friends. She'd brought them home with her when she'd left hospital a few days ago.

The auburn-haired woman closed her eyes as she remembered all the visitors she and Mwu had recieved not long after the baby was born. All their friends had visited that day, congratulating the new parents, cooing over the newborn Stellar. Kira and Athrun had laughed, teasing Mwu about being a father.

_"It's not that hard to imagine Murrue-san as a mom. But you..a dad?" _Mwu had been indignant, scowling at the two young men. _"And why is me being a dad so hard to imagine?"_

_"Because you act like a kid yourself still!"_

Murrue had just laughed then, amused at her husband's annoyance. But really, she wasn't worried. _I know...that Mwu will be a good father. He was looking forward so much to our baby being born, and he fusses over her so much. And I'll..do my best to be a good mother to her..._

Finishing the work she'd brought home, smiling in satisfaction, she hid the papers under the coffee table in the sitting room. Then, picking up the carrier, she settled herself and Stellar under the apple tree in the garden, taking out the crime novel she'd been reading in her spare time. She'd barely turned the page, when she was interrupted by a whimpering. Stellar was stirring, little face screwed up in discomfort, arms waving.

"What's wrong, sweetie? Are you hungry?" Picking her daughter up out of the carrier, she brought the week-old child close to herself, and fed her with a bottle she'd brought from the kitchen earlier, knowing that it wouldn't be long before Stellar got hungry.

The tiny girl's eyes closed as she fed, burbling a little bit, which made Murrue laugh softly.

"You were ready for that, huh? Just like your daddy...always hungry."

After Stellar had fallen back asleep, her mother began to read again, losing herself in the pages...but not for long. The story, the sound of the wind in the trees, the birds, and the baby's soft breathing...they almost became a lullaby, and the book slipped from Murrue's hands as she fell asleep against the tree.

When she awoke, she was lying on the sofa in the sitting room, covered with a blanket. The light was dimmer, and looking out of the window, Murrue could see that the sun was setting, turning the sky orange and red. _How long was I asleep? And how did I get here?_

Sitting up and stretching, she sniffed the air. Something smelt good...

The back door was open, letting the cool evening air fill the house. Walking towards the door, Murrue could see the pot of stew bubbling on the stove, and heard humming from outside. Peeking around the door, she smiled happily. Mwu was there, sitting on the porch in just his uniform trousers and purple undershirt. Baby Stellar was in his arms, her blue eyes wide as she listened to her father humming. Mwu was smiling, long blonde hair blowing in the breeze, eyes focused on his daughter.

_He always does this. Sometimes I find him just sitting by her cradle, staring at her, as if he can't quite believe she's real...that she's part of him. I know just how he feels. After Stellar was born, I spent hours in the hospital just watching her while she slept...this life created by Mwu and I. I wonder...if I'd ever have had something like this..if Mwu hadn't come back to me?_

Hearing footsteps, Mwu looked up, his smile broadening as he saw his wife standing in the doorway. "Hey, sleeping beauty, feeling better? The munchkin was just telling me what you two have been doing today."

Smiling at that idea, Murrue walked over and sat beside him, head resting on his shoulder. "Oh? And what did she say?"

"She said: 'Mama took a trip into town to get her work, even though she's been told to take it easy.'" replied Mwu, raising an eyebrow as the woman beside him frowned. "Erica told you?"

"No, actually. I found the papers sticking out from under the table.." He sighed. "It's okay, I'm not mad. It's just...the doctors told you to take it easy for a while. You don't wanna push yourself too hard and get sick. It's one thing when it's just the two of us, but.." He gestured down to the now-sleeping baby. "You're a mom now, Murrue. You have to take care of yourself better, okay?"

His wife nodded, amber eyes downcast. Mwu smiled, and kissed her gently. "Here, dinner's almost ready." Carefully handing her their daughter, he walked inside to ladle out the stew. He'd become much better at cooking since they were married, her patient teaching paying off in the end.

After dinner, Murrue carried the sleeping Stellar upstairs, changing her into a tiny pink sleepsuit and settling her down in the cradle in the darkened nursery. Standing there for a while, watching the baby, she jumped as Mwu came up behind her, strong arms slipping around her waist. "What is it?" he asked, nuzzling into her neck, breath tickling her cheek.

"I was just wondering what she's dreaming about.." She turned to look up at him, smiling softly. "Sometimes I wonder if I'm not dreaming myself.."

"Why?" he asked, chuckling. She giggled in return, eyes shining with happiness. "Because of all this. You, this place, peace, and now her...it's so much of what I wished for, sometimes I have trouble believing it's real.."

In reply, he took her small hand in his large one, and guided it to his heart, where she heard the strong steady beat of his pulse. Then he moved it to his cheek. "Am I a dream?" he asked quietly, loving smile on his face.

Murrue shook her head, standing on her tiptoes to kiss him lightly. "No. You're better than a dream."

Stellar chose that moment to gurgle in her sleep, causing her parents to laugh. "She's not a dream either, " giggled Murrue. "Dreams don't wake you up at 3AM..."

"I wonder.." said her husband, blue eyes thoughtful, "if she'll be like you when she grows up? I'm sure that she will be, beautiful and kind, just like her mother." Murrue blushed at that. "What if she's like you?"

"Heh..that would be fun. But no, I'm sure she'll be like you. Although, if she's anywhere near as beautiful, I'll be beating the boys back with a stick when she grows up.."

Murrue laughed, resting her head on his shoulder. "We still have a way to go before then. We should treasure this time with her while we have it..children grow up so fast..."

"Yeah, you're right. Hey, " he said with a grin. "When she is a bit older, can we give her a baby brother or sister?"

Her only reply was a blush.

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( Heheheh. Read and review, please! )


	58. Repetition

The afternoon sunlight streamed through the large glass windows of the house on the cliff. The rays lit upon a scarred man, casting warmth upon him, but he didn't react. There were too many other things to be concerned with. Such as what was being shown on the television at the moment. Pictures were being shown of what was happening all over the world in the aftermath of the Junius Seven disaster. Chunks of the space colony had fallen to Earth, despite ZAFT's best efforts, and caused worldwide destruction and some climate changes. The scenes on the television showed the human tragedy, the countless people killed or injured by the falling debris. Those who had survived were angrily looking for someone to blame..and their target for this was PLANT. Pictures had been leaked of the battle to stop the colony falling, and those pictures made it seem as though ZAFT mobile suits were the ones responsible for not stopping it in time.

Andrew Bartfeld sighed, leaning back against the sofa. This state of affairs...it was just what Blue Cosmos wanted. Naturals against Coordinators, just as it had been two years before. And with what was happening in Orb...if the rumours were true, soon even this peaceful country would no longer be safe. Looking behind him at the sound of soft footsteps, he saw Kira's mother Caridad standing watching the scenes play out, a toddler held in her arms.

"Is it really as bad as they say?" she asked quietly. Andrew nodded grimly. "They don't mention a whole lot of the details, but if you read between the lines.."

The door of the house clicked open, and a dark-haired woman stepped inside, setting her bag down on the tiled floor as she closed the door behind her. Caridad smiled. "Welcome back. Did you have a good day at work?" The woman smiled back, amber eyes softening with the expression. The toddler in Caridad's arms wriggled about, trying to get to the woman, and toddled across to her as soon as she was set down. "Mama!" she chirped, giggling as she was lifted up into a hug. Murrue kissed her daughter on the cheek, ruffling the girl's blonde curls. "Hey, Lily. Have you been a good girl?" Lily beamed, and nodded. "Yup!" Her little face clouded over as she looked for the other person she expected to see. "Where Papa?"

"Papa's at our house, sweetie.." replied Murrue softly, a sad look on her face. Like Caridad and the others, Murrue and her family had been made homeless by the giant tsunami caused by the fall of Junius Seven. The house had been completely destroyed, and if it hadn't been for Andrew's offer to come and live at his house, they would have had nowhere else to go. A soft voice sounded from the stairway, "Was there anything left for you to salvage?" Lacus walked towards the mother and child, leading one of the orphan children by the hand. Murrue sighed. "There wasn't much left. But he keeps trying, hoping he'll find something. I keep telling him that it doesn't matter...what could be more important that the fact we were able to all get out okay?"

Lily still in her arms, Murrue sat down on the sofa, brows knitting into a frown as she watched the events playing out on the screen before them. "Things are still the same?"

"Looks that way" replied Andrew soberly. "People are looking for someone to blame.."

"The ZAFT ship _Minerva_'s still docked here..I even met her captain earlier today.." said Murrue. "She seems like a good person, but I don't think she and her ship will be able to stay here much longer."

A knock on the door broke everyone's concentration, and Andrew got up to see who their visitor was. The wind blowing through her black hair, Natarle stood on the doorstep, still in her Orb military uniform. She had joined the Orb forces not long after the _Archangel_ returned to the country. She'd been unused to the idea of not being a soldier, but had no real wish to return to the Alliance. Cagalli had offered her a position in Orb's forces, based at the military headquarters. As such, she was able to pick up a great deal of information on the state of affairs, something Andrew, Mwu and Murrue, being at Morgenroete, weren't always able to get.

After she'd been let in, Natarle sat down on the sofa beside Murrue, smiling as little Lily climbed over from her mother's lap to sit on her own. "How have you been, Natarle?" asked Murrue. Her friend didn't often visit, unless it was a special occasion, or if she had some important information. It wasn't that she didn't care, but she was still a little uncomfortable around a lot of people.

"I've been fine..I'm just worried."

"Why? What have you heard?"

The young woman sighed. "That the signing of the treaty is a foregone conclusion. In fact, everything's already drawn up, according to some people. The Representative tried her best, but she was overruled. At best, a lot of the council members patronise her, some just ignore what she says and do what they want. Especially the Seirans." She scowled. "They're _dangerous_."

Murrue looked downcast. "So..we have no choice?"

Andrew chuckled. "There's always a choice. It just depends on what you decide is best.."

That evening, Murrue stood on the balcony of the large house, eyes trained on the sea. The setting sun painted the sky shades of orange and red, the colours beautiful to see. But not even that sight could lift her mood. Looking to her right, she watched her tiny daughter play with a doll, the little girl giggling to herself as she made the figure walk across the floor.

_I thought all this would have been over now. That we would have lasting peace. I wanted to bring my daughter up in a world where there would be no war. But if things go the way we think they will, the only way we can give Lily and other children like her a world of peace..is to fight again._

When this treaty was signed...Orb would be part of the World Security Treaty Organisation...and as such, allied with the Earth forces. If the Alliance went to war with ZAFT again, Orb would be duty bound to join in the fight. But Murrue..and others like her who felt the same way...their fight would be a different one. To stop the cycle of war..restore the peace the world had enjoyed for the last two years.

_It's all going to start again. Everything we fought for two years ago...unravelling before our eyes..._

"Hey now, beautiful..why the sad face?" The cheery familiar voice lifted her spirits immediately, and she turned to greet her husband, who stood there behind her, blue eyes twinkling. "That look doesn't suit you.." he clarified, taking her hand. "What's wrong?"

Just with him being there, she felt better. Of course, she was still worried about the near future, but somehow Mwu had the ability to make her forget her fears, make everything seem a little brighter.

"Oh, it's nothing. It's just...did Commander Bartfeld tell you?" A shadow seemed to cross his handsome face for a second, the only outward sign he gave that he was at all concerned. "Yeah, he mentioned it. But," he continued, smiling again, "it'll be okay, I'm sure of it."

Murrue wasn't convinced. "What if things go the way we think? What if we have to go out and fight again?" She looked down, pain in her dark eyes. "I don't want that to happen..don't want us to have to fight. I..I could have lost you last time, and I..."

"Hey.." he said, crossing the short distance between them and taking her into his arms. "Don't start worrying about that. All this that we're worried about...it might never happen."

"Papa!" Lily had just spotted that her father was home, and she tugged impatiently at his trouser leg until he bent and picked her up.

"Hi there, munchkin!" The little girl snuggled close to him, nuzzling her face into his neck. Placing a kiss on her golden curls, Mwu looked across at his wife. To his dismay, the troubled expression that had haunted her face all through the first war had returned, the fear in her dark eyes clear to see.

"Murrue? Murrue!" She looked up at him in surprise, fixing a smile to her pale face. "Oh, sorry. I'm okay."

He rolled his eyes, seeing right through her facade. "No, you aren't. That excuse would work for anyone else, but just remember who you're talking to.." He knew the real reason she was worried. Not just because her adopted country was in danger, or that she might have to go out and fight again. But because of what she had now. She had always been worried when he went out to fight before, after they had gotten together...worried that he wouldn't come back. But now..they were _married._ And they had a child together, a tiny girl not nearlyold enough to take care of herself. If they did fight, and something happened to either, or God forbid, _both _of them...Lily would be all alone.

Mwu could understand Murrue's fear, feeling a good portion of it himself. _I don't want to fight either! But..._

"Murrue?" She looked into his eyes, worry and fear swirling in her own amber orbs. "Whatever happens..we'll be together, okay? Whether we stay here, or go fight again..I'll be right by your side, my love, the way it's always been. I promise." He drew her to him, breathing in both her scent, and the sweet baby scent of his daughter still held in his arms. "So please..don't worry."

Resting her head on his shoulder, she sighed. "All right. But promise me something else...that if you do go out and pilot again, that you won't be reckless, and you'll come back to me safely."

He grinned, kissing her on the cheek. "That's one promise I've always kept. Whatever happens, I'll be here, you'll be here, and Lily will be here too."

The little family stood together on the balcony, watching as the sun disappeared over the horizon, wondering what the future held for them. But they knew that whatever hand fate dealt them, they would always be together.

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( The end didn't turn out as cute as I'd liked it to have, but I don't think it was so bad. This was a request from Jadzia, and I hope it was okay...

I'm taking requests from anyone..if they have an idea they'd like me to write about.

Please read and review! )


	59. Love Taught Me

( Zis be a songfic :D. I've never written one before, so here we go! The lyrics in bold..it's a song called 'Love Taught Me', and it's actually the English end theme from the anime 'Blue Gender'. It's odd how well it seems to fit Neo-san...

Needless to say, I don't own the rights to the song, or to Gundam Seed Destiny, or to..well, anything, really. )

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_I'm bored..._

They had been at the city of Copernicus for several days now, and very little had happened. Most people seemed to think that it was only a matter of time before the PLANT chairman Dullindal made some kind of announcement, but until then, all the crews of the Orb ships docked at the city could do, was wait. Neo scowled, and stretched back on his bunk, staring up at the bland grey ceiling. Nothing had happened since the day they had first arrived here, when that girl Mia had been killed. He still felt guilty about not spotting that assassin woman earlier..then maybe that girl wouldn't have died.

_Damn, but that pissed the pink princess off. I thought she was pretty harmless as far as it all went, but now...I'm not messing with her.._

Leaning back, he reached across to the small console that sat on his desk in the darkened room. He had to find something to keep himself occupied...

The radio buzzed and whistled, the high-pitched noise of interference causing Neo to wince. Finally, it settled onto a radio station from the city, the sound of a woman's voice filling the small room.

**Even if the days when I smiled a lot should turn out**

**To be nothing but a lovely dream**

**That would be all right with me, if that's all it means.."**

The man laughed to himself, pushing blonde hair out of his eyes. Dreams? He had so many dreams recently. He saw places he didn't know, people he'd never met. But instead of worrying him, the dreams were...comforting. None of the dreams were bad, or at least, he didn't think they were. Everything in them was familiar, even if Neo wasn't entirely sure why.

_I'm always happy when I wake up, even if I don't remember what I dreamed about. I wonder if that means I sometimes dream of **her**? I daydream about her quite a lot, so it would make sense that I would dream of her while I'm sleeping..._

**"My mind's unrest, struggling with me,**

**Recalling the past, who I could be...**

**Gotta rise and be strong**

**Gotta be tough, but not lose the person I am..."**

_Heh. The person I am? Who is that, exactly?_

These days, Neo was wondering more and more who he really was. The dreams of another life became clearer each night, blurring the line between who he was (or thought he was) and who he might be becoming. So...who was he? Who was Neo Lorrnoke? Was he even Neo? Or Mwu, like everyone else thought?

_This is dumb. I am who I am...doesn't matter that much about who I've been, or who I will be..._

**"Two lives I have, one life I live,**

**One life I dream**

**In dreams I remember, the better in me.."**

He laughed, the sound echoing around the room. Two lives, huh? Was this woman singing about _him_? He lived one life, the life he'd lived for the last two years, which was as far back as he was able to remember. It had bothered him often, the fact that he had no memories of the time before that. Or at least...he _hadn't..._until he'd started dreaming of another life...

Now though, things couldn't be more different. Here, on this ship, he'd learned so much...changed so much.

_With the Alliance..I had nothing, I realise that now. Funny, I'd thought I had everything I wanted. My own ship, my own command, the chance to be a pilot...but now I know..that I really had nothing at all. Here, I've learned what it's like to have friends...and most importantly, I've learned what it's like to love someone. Or..have I **relearned **it?_

**"Vision, don't let me down. I'm depending on you**

**Carry me through when I see reality..."**

Reality? What was reality, exactly? All he had were memories of the last two years, and increasingly clear dreams and flashbacks of another person's life. Which was real? Which life was his?

"Ah, forget it. I am who I am." Looking at the clock, Neo beamed happily. Switching off the radio, he left his quarters, the room empty and silent. He had more important things to do...like keep an appointment.

And in the mess hall...there she was, waiting for him. Smiling gently, the expression making her that much more beautiful. Neo grinned back, blue eyes twinkling. Who he really was...what did that matter? He was here, by her side, and that was all he cared about at this moment in time.

Picking up a tray of ship's food, and a glass of water, he sat down opposite her. She looked up, soft amber eyes creasing slightly with her smile, tipping her head to one side at his gentle expression.

"What is it?" she asked, brushing away dark hair from her face. Neo didn't reply, just continued to gaze at her. She looked away after a while, her cheeks coloured a pale pink, but she was still smiling.

_She's all I need. Reality is right in front of me..my captain._

He chuckled a little at that, making her look back at him in surprise. Waving his hand, Neo shook his head, indicating it was nothing.

_'My' captain. It sounds so possessive. But that's just the way I feel about her. I want her to be all mine, want to steal her heart the way she stole mine without even trying._

_Memories, dreams...they all seem so insignificant when I'm with her, because she makes me forget everything, except for the fact that I love her. What else do I need?_

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( heheheheheheh

Read and review, please! )


	60. Locket: Part One

The day was hot and humid, the clouds lining the horizon. Rain fell from the sky in a torrent, soaking the gardens and those unfortunate enough to be caught outside in the downpour. The house was quiet, but the kitchen was filled with the smell of cooking. Stellar was sitting on the living room sofa, little arms wrapped around a cushion, attention focused on the cartoons showing on the television. Her parents were busy in the kitchen, making all kinds of things to eat. Plates of sandwiches, sausage rolls and other buffet food stood on the small wooden table in the room, and mini pizzas were baking in the oven. In tins on the cupboard shelves sat buns and cakes, all baked the day before and stored away out of sight, and out of reach of little fingers..

Murrue was busy putting the finishing touches to a cake shaped like a pink teddy bear, while Mwu kept himself occupied by blowing up balloons, and occasionally leaning over the back of the sofa to watch the cartoons with his daughter. All this time and effort..it was their youngest daughter Lily's first birthday today, and soon people would be arriving for the party.

"Stellar, sweetie," called Murrue from the kitchen, "it's time to go get ready, okay?" The six-year-old girl screwed her face up at the thought of donning the pink party dress. "Aw, Mama...can't I stay in this? Nobody'll care.." she whined, picking at the T-shirt and jeans she wore.

Murrue didn't answer, and the little girl knew by the silence that her mother would brook no argument. Grumbling, she climbed off the sofa and trudged upstairs. Mwu chuckled, but didn't say anything.

Murrue looked up from where she was icing the face on the teddy bear cake, out of the window. The falling rain reflected in her amber eyes, and she smiled a little, thinking about how quickly time passed.

_Today is our second child's first birthday..and our oldest will be seven in two months. It hardly seems real. In wartime, the days passed so slowly...and it was like living on a knife edge. But now we have peace...time is flying by..._

"Murrue? Hey, Murrue!" Looking around, startled from the daydream, the auburn-haired woman smiled at her husband. "What is it?"

He laughed. "Nothing, but if you carry on staring into space, that icing will have set before you've finished the cake..." Glancing down, she saw that Mwu was right. Finishing the cake quickly, she stood on her tiptoes and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I'm going to go get ready now, so keep an eye on everything, okay?" She rolled her eyes at his mock salute, and walked upstairs.

Changing into her favourite dress, and pulling her dark hair back slightly, Murrue put on the gold heart-shaped locket Mwu had given her for her birthday the first year they were together. It was one of her most treasured possessions, and she kept it locked in a drawer in her dressing table when she wasn't wearing it. It was too precious to risk losing.

"Stellar? Are you ready?" Crossing the hallway into her eldest child's room, she saw that the girl was indeed clad in the pink dress, and her hair was neatly brushed. Stellar looked up at her. "Mama? Can you braid my hair, please?"

Sitting down on the bed, Murrue carefully plaited the girl's long dark hair into two pigtails. Stellar sat perfectly still, then climbed into her mother's lap when it was done, nuzzling close. Murrue smiled, breathing in the scent of her daughter's hair, arms wrapped tightly around her.

"Mama, can I have a party like this when it's my birthday?" The woman looked down at the child in surprise. "You don't want to go anywhere special?"

"No, not really. I think it'd be nice if I could have a party here, with you, and Papa, and all my friends. Can I? Please?"

"Sure you can, sweetie.." replied her mother, and Stellar hugged tighter. "Thank you!"

Reaching up, the six-year-old began to play with the locket Murrue wore, feeling the cool metal beneath her tiny fingers. "You always wear this when it's someone's birthday. Is it special?"

"It certainly is. Your papa gave it to me for my birthday, the year we got married."

"Those are the things you can put pictures in, huh? Is there a picture in here?" Murrue laughed, cheeks pinking. "Yes, there is.."

Stellar grinned. "Is it of Papa?" The way her mother's face went even redder, made the little girl laugh. "It is, isn't it? Does that mean your heart belongs to Papa?"

Murrue coughed at that, pressing her hands to her face to try and cool the blush. "C-come on, it's time to wake your sister up.."

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( Part two tomorrow!

Please read and review! )


	61. Locket: Part Two

In the nursery, little Lily was already awake, and smiled up happily at her mother and older sister. Despite the oppressive atmosphere of the day, the baby's temper was as sunny as ever, and she giggled and waved her arms as Murrue lifted her from the cot. Put her into her little party dress, her golden curly hair was brushed and put into pigtails like her sister's.

"Okay then.." said Murrue, kissing the little girl, "it's time to go. Everyone will be here soon..."

Downstairs, their guests had begun to arrive. Kira and Lacus were first, with their baby son. Little Siegel had reached his own first birthday just a couple of months before, and the little boy was placed into a high chair beside Lily. Lacus and Kira had brought a teddy bear as a present for the birthday girl, and also a pretty doll, which Lacus gave to Stellar with a smile. The little girl was confused.

"But Auntie Lacus...it's not my birthday yet..." The pink-haired woman just smiled again. "I know. But it's no fair everyone making a fuss of your little sister, and not you, is it?" Stellar beamed, delighted, and sat on the sofa with her new doll, showing it to her best friend. Little Lenore Zala, the five-year-old daughter of Athrun and Meyrin, reached out and stroked the doll's hair. "Pretty!" she chirped, showing Stellar her own favourite doll, which travelled everywhere with her.

Athrun and Meyrin themselves were in the kitchen, chatting with Mwu about work, and how everything else was going.

When the final guests arrived, Miriallia, Lunamaria, and Shinn, the party could finally start. All sitting around the polished dining table, the small crowd of people helped themselves to the buffet meal that had been so carefully prepared (even if the pizzas were slightly burned), and talked about how things were going. It had been so long since everyone had all been together, there was a lot to catch up on.

"All right, cake time!" hollered Mwu, setting the pink confection down in a cleared space before Lily. The baby girl's blue eyes widened at the sight of the cake, and she reached out to touch it. "Hey, hey, slow down!" chuckled her father, taking her tiny hand. "Wait till you've blown out the candles, okay?" Lily didn't really understand, just gave her papa a gummy smile and a gurgle. Everyone laughed, including Kira. "You're so..._domesticated_ now, Mwu-san..."

The blonde man scowled, and pretended to box his younger friend's ears. "Domesticated? What am I, a dog?"

The ripple of giggles flowed around the table, Murrue laughing harder than almost anyone. "Cut it out, Mwu. Just light the candle.."

Carefully, Mwu struck a match, and lit the single candle in the middle of the cake, a fond smile on his scarred face at the awed expression of his youngest child.

"Okay, sweetie, are you going to blow it out?" To show the baby what she meant, Murrue pursed her lips and blew softly over the candle flame, causing it to flicker. Lily frowned for a moment, then screwed her little face up and blew as hard as she could. The flame wavered violently, then went out. Everyone cheered and clapped, making the little girl giggle and bounce in her chair.

After the food, it was time for presents. Everyone had brought something for the baby, and the boxes and bags were stacked up in a small pile. Lily stared at them for a moment, not sure what they were. Sitting on her mother's lap, she looked around at the crowd of people, smiling. Even if she didn't know what was happening, she was happy.

The presents included baby toys and clothes, but also, to Stellar's surprise, keepsakes and jewellery meant for older children. "Mama? Why did she get stuff like that? She can't use it.."

"I know.." replied Murrue with a smile. "But she's growing so fast...she'll be too big for a lot of baby things soon. We wanted her to have things she could use when she was older too. You see?"

Stellar nodded, and sat down on her papa's lap. Miriallia smiled, and leaned forward, stroking Lily's cheek. "She's such a cutie.. I guess she'll look like her daddy when she's older, huh?" Stellar looked behind her at her father, then at her baby sister.

_Auntie Milly's right. Lil does look like Papa. But I don't..._Jumping off Mwu's lap, the little girl ran upstairs to her parents' room, climbing onto a chair and looking at herself in Mama's mirror.

What she saw was a girl with a round face and pale skin, with blue eyes, and dark brown hair. She didn't look like Papa, or Lily..just as she had thought. _Mama loves Papa lots..does she love Lil more because she looks like Papa? More than me?_

"Stellar? What's wrong, honey?" Glancing behind her, the little girl smiled a bit when she saw her mother. "It's nothing..I'm okay."

Murrue sat down on the stool, pulling the girl into her lap. "You're like me..always hiding it when you're upset. What's wrong?"

Stellar stared up at Murrue, an expression of worry on her little face. "Everyone says that Lily looks just like Papa. But..I don't. Would you love me more if I did?"

Murrue blinked in surprise, then smiled. "How could I love you any more than I already do? It doesn't matter if you don't look like Papa. In fact.." she said, kissing the child on the cheek, "your papa loves you so much because you look like _me_."

Stellar's blue eyes widened in surprise. "Really?"

"Really and truly. Tell me something. Who do you love most, me or Papa?" Stellar shook her head. "I love you both the same..."

"Well then, now you know how we both feel. There's no way we could love either of you more than the other." Reaching into her pocket, Murrue pulled out a small box, and handed it to her oldest daughter. Inside the box was a locket, a tiny version of the one Murrue herself was wearing..the one Mwu had given her.

"It's beautiful, Mama!" The little girl hugged her mother tightly, staring at the trinket in the box with awe.

"You remember? How we asked for Lily to be given things she could use when she was older? Well, we did the same for you when you were a baby. That locket, we bought it for your first birthday. And now..you're old enough to wear it."

Taking the locket from the box, Murrue carefully fastened it around her daughter's neck. "There, do you like it?"

In reply, Stellar only hugged tighter, making her mother smile fondly.

Their guests had all left, leaving the house quiet once more. Stacking the dirty dishes in the kitchen, Mwu locked up the house, and took the sleeping Lily upstairs, tucking her warmly into her cot. Leaning down, he kissed the baby gently.

"Happy birthday.."

In his own room, he found his wife sitting on the sofa, Stellar lying fast asleep with her head on her mother's lap. Murrue was stroking the girl's soft dark hair, singing the same lullaby she had used to when Stellar was a baby. All Mwu could do was chuckle at the scene before him, and Murrue glanced up. Placing a finger on her lips, she patted the sofa beside her, indicating that he could come and sit down.

Accepting her invitation, he smiled when she lay her head on his shoulder. "I wondered where you'd got to.." he whispered. "What was wrong?" Murrue only shook her head. "Nothing. It's okay. I just gave Stellar one of her own birthday presents."

Looking down, Mwu noticed his daughter was wearing the locket they had bought for her, her little hand clasped tightly around the small heart-shaped object.

"She's old enough for that now, huh?" Sighing, he slipped an arm around Murrue. "Where did the time go? She's nearly seven, Lil's one now..they're growing up so fast. But they're such great kids...it's because of their mama, I think."

Murrue flushed, staring down at the sleeping girl. "Not just me. You as well. They love you so much, just like I do.."

He laughed softly at that, and leaned down to kiss her.

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(There you go, part two, just like I promised. Read and review, please!)


	62. Hidden

_I should really be on the bridge right now..._

But instead, there she was, shut away inside her cubbyhole of an office. There was no paperwork to be completed, no reports or requests lay on the smooth metal surface of her desk, just one small piece of paper, a message from _Kusanagi_ that Miriallia-san had transcribed for her. It was the results of the survey the Orb ship had undertaken, two of their Astray mobile suits being sent out to explore the abandoned Colony Mendel the ships were hiding in. But for some reason, the pilots of those Astrays had only stuck to searching the docking bay and surrounding area, never venturing into the colony itself. Murrue couldn't blame them. A lot of the crew of the _Archangel_ had been muttering about this place being deserted over a decade ago, some kind of experiment that went wrong, making the place uninhabitable. It was small wonder the Astray pilots hadn't wanted to go inside..afraid of what they might find...

So Mendel had stayed as it had been for the past years, shut away, dark and silent, waiting for someone to find it.

_Rather like me, I suppose..._

Or her heart. She had hidden it away, behind the dignity of her role, behind distant kindness (and perhaps fear). Tried to kid herself that her heart was so well hidden that no-one would ever be able to find it. That she didn't _want_ anyone to find it. That she was happier alone. But then she'd met **him**. He had breezed into her life all of a sudden, open, bright and cheerful, his cobalt-blue eyes reflecting confidence and happiness. Living life fazed by nothing, seemingly without a care in the world. And Murrue, almost his opposite, had been drawn to him like a moth to a candle flame.

_I was drawn to him from the very beginning, wasn't I? I realise that now._

And he, with perception that his almost overbearing demeanor didn't suggest, had seen straight through her, as though the defences around her true self were as flimsy as gauze. He..the Commander..had seen how lost and lonely she really was - when even she herself hadn't been able to see it. Almost immediately, he had become her protector, defending her from those who would critisise her, and also become her companion, a loyal friend and voice of reassurance. He was always able to make her smile, to cheer her up when she was worried or sad.

_And over time...somehow he was able to find my heart, which was so deeply buried even I couldn't find it..so it would be protected.._

But he..he had shown her that it was okay to love someone, that you couldn't stay alone simply because you were afraid. His care had reopened her heart, brushing away the loneliness and fear with compassion and kindness. And then..she had been able to return his feelings, even though she had previously believed she would never be able to love anyone again.

And when Murrue had woken up that morning, safely enclosed in his arms, she had realised something which startled her.

_My heart...it doesn't belong to me anymore..._

Last night, the night she had agreed to stay with him, at the height of their loving exchange..she had given her heart to _him._ Or was it that she had given it to him the moment they met..and only **realised** at that moment? Whatever the truth, curiously, she wasn't scared, or sad about it. Even though the future was as yet unwritten, even though things could be turned upside down in the blink of an eye in wartime, she wasn't scared. Just..happy. She was in love, and not alone anymore, and at that moment...that was all that mattered.

Smiling to herself, her amber eyes flicked to the now-open door, seeing him standing there, leaning on the frame. His face wreathed in a happy smile, his blue eyes twinkling. Murrue stood up to join him, he walking further inside the tiny room so the door closed behind him. As she approached him, he pulled her into his warm embrace, resting his chin on her head, so his breaths made her dark hair flutter. She smiled happily, closing her eyes and resting her head on his broad chest. She could feel the steady rhythm of his breathing, hear the thump of his heart.

_Or is it my own heart?_

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( XD lol. Okay. I'm running out of ideas. Please, if anyone's still reading these...help meeeeeeee!

Read and review too, okay? )


	63. Expectation

She stood in front of the large mirror, running a brush through her dark hair. Of course, since she had her own bathroom, there was no real reason for her to be here. But sometimes..she preferred to be here, to take a shower in a room that was a little larger than the postage stamp-sized one she had...and besides, it was so late, there was no-one else here. So there she stood, in front of the mirror, clad in her nightdress, smiling at her reflection. For a reason she couldn't quite explain, she was very happy, and began humming a little tune as she continued to brush her hair.

The door to the shower room swished open, and three young women walked in. Catching sight of the figure before the mirror, little Meyrin nudged Lacus, and pointed. Lacus in turn showed Miriallia, and together they stood and watched their captain, smiling at her humming, and also at the slight pink that had appeared on the older woman's cheeks. Meyrin giggled, and abruptly, the humming ceased. Murrue turned around in surprise, the blush deepening when she saw who was watching her. "Oh! Sorry, I didn't know there was anyone else here..."

Miriallia grinned. "Yeah, we could tell. Your mind was somewhere else, huh?" The three girls walked up to where Murrue was standing, looking at her reflection. Lacus smiled. "You look very happy, Murrue-san. Happier than I've seen you in a very long time. Almost...two years, in fact..." Miriallia nodded, gesturing to the pink colouration of her captain's cheeks. "Why the blush? Are you thinking about someone?"

Murrue coughed, looking down at her bare feet. "N-no...why would I be?" Her long dark hair hid her face, and she was thankful for that, as it also hid the blush. She _had_ been thinking about someone, as a matter of fact, but she wasn't going to let anyone know...

Unfortunately, her friends could see straight through her. "You _are_..." teased Miriallia. "We can tell. And I bet he's blonde.."

Murrue covered her face with her hands, and kept quiet. Meyrin, who up until now had only been giggling at her friends teasing the captain, spoke up suddenly. "Captain..someone said they saw you and the Colonel going to the bath together..is that true?"

Miriallia and Lacus gasped, not having heard that. "You took a bath with him?" Murrue's amber eyes widened, but still she stayed silent.

Lacus noticed how uncomfortable all this made the captain, and she smiled gently, placing a hand on the older woman's shoulder. "It's all right, we don't mean to tease you like this. But he..he's come to mean a great deal to you, hasn't he?"

Murrue sighed, an expression of slight worry crossing her face. Lacus shook her head. "Don't worry. It's all right to feel that way. No-one blames you for it at all. Love is something no-one can control.."

The captain stood straight up with a gasp, cheeks pinking again all of a sudden. Lacus nodded. "That is how you feel about him, isn't it? Everyone can see it..."

_Love? I love him? Is that really how I feel? It can't be..can it? He's just a friend. I know..I enjoy his company, and I'm happy when he's with me..but that's it, nothing else...right?_

Excusing herself, she left the shower room, the three girls watching her leave, smiling. Floating down the corridor, Murrue pressed a hand to her chest, shaking her head to try and clear it of the strange ideas she was having. Rounding the corner, she looked up ahead..then ducked back, peeking around the wall at the one standing there.

It was him. He was standing on the observation deck, looking out at the Copernicus docks. His hands were in his pockets, and there was a faint smile on his scarred face. He looked so handsome...her heart beat a little faster, and she smiled herself, happy to just watch him for a while. But almost as if he had sensed her, he turned around.

"Oh, hey there. How come you're still awake?" Even though his tone was slightly scolding, his smile belied the words. Murrue's own smile broadened, and she shook her head.

"I only finished my shift an hour ago.." He laughed. "Same here. I was just about to head off to get some sleep." He held out his hand. "May I escort the captain?" She giggled, and was about to take his hand, when she looked down and realised something.

She was in her nightdress.

Blushing furiously, she shrank back against the wall, covering her chest with her arms. Her gaze was fixed on the floor, she not daring to even look at him. _You **idiot**! Why didn't you think?_

All of a sudden, she felt something around her shoulders, Looking around, she saw that he had removed his uniform jacket, and slipped it around her. "Here," he said gently. "It's okay now."

Gratefully, she smiled, taking his hand. She still didn't dare look at him, and was scared silly in case someone saw them both together like this, and got the wrong idea. But as he led her down the corridors, she realised that she needn't have worried.

It was very late, after all, and almost everyone else was already asleep. Hesitantly, she looked up at him. His blue eyes met her brown ones, and he smiled. Murrue looked away again, a blush colouring her cheeks once more.

_Why am I acting this way? Is Lacus-san right? Do I...love him?_

Outside her room, she gave him back his jacket. "Thank you...and...I'm sorry."

He just chuckled softly, taking the garment. "You're welcome..." Squeezing her hand gently, he leaned down closer to her. Murrue stared at her feet, frozen to the spot almost, until he lifted her chin with a finger, raising her eyes to meet his. His hand moved to cup her face, and he leaned down closer to her, his expression one of tenderness.

_What is he doing? Is he..is he going to...kiss me?_

Her heart was racing, the beat sounding like the wings of a hummingbird. She was incredibly nervous, but at the same time...excited. Very gently, he..kissed her on the forehead, his breath tickling her hair. Squeezing her hand again, he smiled. "Goodnight, Captain.." Blinking, trying to clear her head of the confusion (and disappointment) she nodded. "Uh, yes...goodnight, Colonel.."

As he disappeared into his room, she only smiled, shaking her head. _He never does what people expect..just like Mwu. And I can't believe I wanted him to kiss me that badly. Maybe..maybe Lacus-san was right?_

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( OOC FTW! Woo-ha!

XD lol sorry for that being soooooo OOC, but the idea was so cute, I couldn't resist. Please read and review! )


	64. Hope

( Hmmm. I have about 3 AU storylines in the middle of all my fics, don't I? I have to admit though, the one I started with 'Inochi' is still my favourite. So here's another story to add to that... )

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It was late at night, the moon hanging low in the sky like a lantern. A red car drove through a quiet neighbourhood, it's lights the only ones to be seen anywhere. Softly, the car pulled up in the driveway to a small house. A light shone from a window in the house, lighting up the night like a beacon. Exiting the car, a figure stole up to the front door of the house, unlocking it and stepping inside.

_It sure is late. I bet she's asleep..._

On the wooden table in the kitchen sat a plate of food, with a note beside it. Picking it up, Mwu smiled as he read the elegant handwriting.

_Hi,_

_Since I didn't know what time you'd be back, I left this out for you. It just needs warming up in the oven, okay?_

_See you in the morning, love, Murrue._

After eating, he rinsed the plate off, and switched off the kitchen light she had left on for him. Making his way to the bedroom as quietly as he possibly could, he slipped between the sheets after undressing. She was there, lying on her side, fast asleep. Or at least, he thought she was. But when he slid an arm around her waist and snuggled close to her, she stirred.

"Mmmmmmm...hi.." she whispered. Mwu smiled, and kissed her gently on the cheek. "Hi.." Murrue smiled drowsily as he nuzzled closer, drifting back off to sleep. Mwu closed his eyes, breathing in the floral scent of her hair, and fell asleep himself.

The next morning, he woke up, stretching out under the crisp bedcovers. Reaching out to the side, he was surprised to find that Murrue wasn't there, his hand falling to empty mattress. Bright sunlight streamed in through the thin curtains, showing that at the very least, it was late morning. Looking beside him, Mwu grinned sheepishly when he saw the time.

"Guess I slept in, huh?"

Climbing out of the soft bed, he made his way to the bathroom to take a shower. The hot, steamy water stung the still-healing burns all over his body, but despite the pain, he smiled. Today, it was Saturday, the weekend. Neither he nor Murrue had to work, they had this time all to themselves. And he was going to make the most of it...

The house was quiet. The sun lit the small sitting room, warming the place through. A floral scent wafted from a vase of roses on the windowsill, the smell reminding him of Murrue. The whole place was clean and well-cared for...and it was home. The television in the corner was switched on, showing a newscaster reporting the latest developments of the memorial service due to take place in a few weeks.

_Oh, that's right. It's been a year since the war ended. Strange...it doesn't feel like it's been that long..._

Fixing himself a strong cup of coffee, he stepped outside into the garden. Flowers lined the small lawn, all of them bright and lovingly tended. And at the end of the garden...there she was. Murrue was standing there, hanging out laundry. The washing lines were filled with clothing, his Orb uniform, her Morgenroete jacket, T-shirts, dresses, bedsheets..they danced in the breeze in a colourful display bright enough to rival the flowers. Mwu grinned, taking a drink of the bitter beverage, and watched her. She was clad in a pale blue dress, her hair blowing over her slender shoulders with the wind. Her amber eyes danced with happiness, making her even more beautiful than normal, even though she wore no make-up.

_A whole year..and we've been living together for all that time, except those months when I was in hospital. It's been like a dream, really..._Sure, it hadn't been perfect. Neither of them had been used to living with another, and that had led to occasional bickering and quarrelling. But that only highlighted the fact that they were both really there, and that this was really happening...they were together. So their fights, if you could call them that, had never lasted very long.

Mwu chuckled at that, the sound of the laughter travelling across the small garden. Looking up, Murrue smiled as she saw him standing there. "Good morning, sleepyhead.." Neatly folding the shirt she held, she bent and placed it in the laundry basket, and came over to him, her bare feet making almost no sound on the grassy ground.

Standing on her tip-toes, she embraced him, laying her head on his shoulder. "You were late last night.." she murmured, smiling again as he returned the embrace. Mwu nodded, kissing her on the cheek gently. "I had a lot of work to do. Sorry.."

She shook her head, eyes closed. "Don't apologise. You couldn't help it. Here, I was just about to start breakfast. Are you hungry?"

Mwu nodded absently, but in truth, his mind was on the previous day. What he had told Murrue was partly true, he _had _had a lot of paperwork to finish up. But after that, he had just driven around the city for a while, deep in thought. Last week, he had bumped into Kira while he was out, and they had chatted for a while, it having been a long time since they had seen each other. The kid had begun with the usual pleasantries...

_"So, how have you been, Mwu-san? Are your injuries healing okay?" Mwu had nodded. "Yeah. They still bug me a little bit, but they don't hurt anymore." Kira had smiled at that. "That's good to hear. And how is Murrue-san?"_

_"She's okay. Her job keeps her pretty busy, so she still works herself too hard. But I'm working on changing that..."_

_The boy had laughed. "I'll bet. And how are things between the two of you? It's been a year now almost, since the end of the war. A lot of people are surprised you and Murrue-san aren't married yet..."_

_Mwu's eyes had widened, but he hadn't said anything. Kira had somehow sensed that he'd hit a nerve there, and laughed nervously. "Uh, yes, well...I have to go now. I'll see you later, okay, Mwu-san?" Making his excuses, Kira had left, leaving Mwu alone with his thoughts..._

And that was what he had been thinking about, for all those hours after work had finished last night. He'd never really thought about it before, but now that he did, it made sense. He loved Murrue, loved her a lot. And he knew that he wanted to stay with her for always. So why not get married?

_Heh, that sounds so simple, doesn't it? But that couldn't be further from the truth. Marriage..it's a helluva big step, one that we can't step back from easily if it doesn't work out. And plus...how does **she** feel? Would she even want to marry me? What should I do? Come right out and ask her, or just drop hints? Man, fighting was so much easier than this..._

"Mwu? Mwu, are you okay?" Blinking, he looked down. Murrue was watching him, her dark eyes swirling with confusion and worry. He smiled gently at her. "It's nothing. I'm fine." Releasing her from his embrace, he walked over to where the laundry flapped in the cool sea breeze. She followed him, still not sure what he was doing. "Mwu?"

Suddenly, he plucked a white bedsheet from the line, and wrapped it around her. Her voice came out in a muffled squeak, making him laugh. Moving the fabric from around her face, he grinned at her annoyed expression, finding it cute. "I was right.." he said cheerfully. "Right about _what_?" she huffed. Leaning down, he kissed the tip of her nose. "You _do_ look good in white.."

Unwrapping the sheet, he hung it back on the line and sauntered back inside the house, laughing to himself. Murrue just stood there almost frozen to the spot, cheeks poppy red, amber eyes wide in surprise. _W-what did he mean...by that?_

That evening, Murrue sat on the grass in the garden, breathing in the scent of the flowers mixed with the cool night air. The sun was setting, the golden orb almost disappeared over the horizon. The sky was tinged deep purple and blue, mixed with pink, and the effect was stunning. The auburn-haired woman smiled, tipping her head back and closing her eyes.

_The sunsets here are so beautiful...and it's so peaceful. I'm glad that this is home now..._

The breeze picked up a little, the cool draughts of air blowing around her. Murrue shivered, and huddled closer into the warmth of the oversized shirt she wore over her sundress. She had put this shirt of Mwu's on earlier in the day, relishing the mixture of the scent of washing powder, and his own smell, and now she was glad of it.

"You okay, Murrue? It's getting chilly out here..." He came to join her, sitting down beside her and wrapping an arm around her shoulder. She sighed, and nuzzled close to him, looking up at the faint pinpricks of stars in the night sky.

"Can we stay like this for always?" she asked softly, closing her eyes. Mwu seemed surprised by the question, but laughed. "Sure we can, if that's what you want.."

"And what if war comes again?" He looked down at her, hearing the concern in her voice, and kissed her on the forehead. "Well, we'll still be together, won't we? Even if we have to fight. And if war never comes again..well, that doesn't change anything, does it?"

Murrue glanced up at him, and smiled a little. "No, I guess not."

His embrace tightened, and he stared down at her, face unreadable. "We can always be together, whatever happens. For always. Right?"

"Mwu...what are you..." She stopped in mid-sentence, still looking up at him. There was..something in his eyes she hadn't seen there before. The crystal-blue orbs, normally filled with cheery happiness and love..they were different. The love was still there, but there was also something else...hope.

She blushed without knowing why. His gaze..it was like there was something else that he wanted to tell her. But what?

"W-what is it?" she asked, reaching up to touch his scarred face. He didn't answer, just coughed nervously, looking away from her, down at the grass. "I..I.." he stuttered finally. "I...you..we can, if you want...I mean...we can...be together..I.."

For a moment, she wasn't sure what he was talking about. Why was he so nervous? He was only asking her to...to..

_Wait a moment_...

Murrue gasped, realising what he was saying. She took his hand, and squeezed it tightly.

"Are you..are you asking me to marry you?" Mwu's eyes widened, and he coughed again, the faintest trace of pink to his cheeks. Murrue grasped his chin in one hand, and turned his head so he was looking directly at her. "Is that what you're saying?"

He sighed, looking at the ground, and nodded. Then he glanced back up at her, the hope in his eyes once more. "What...what do you think?"

In reply, she hugged him, the gesture so fierce that they both ended up falling onto the grass. Murrue pressed her face against his shoulder, tears soaking through his T-shirt. Mwu didn't seem to be sure how to react, eventually wrapping an arm around her hesitantly. "Is..that a 'yes'?"

She raised her head to look at him, eyes swimming with tears, a huge smile on her face. "That's a 'yes'" she replied, kissing him passionately. After a few seconds, he returned the kiss, his arms wrapping more securely around her. The embrace seemed to last forever, neither one of them wanting to break it. Finally, when the need for air became a serious issue, they ended the kiss, she resting her head on his shoulder again. "Thank you.." she whispered. Mwu laughed softly, his usual self once more.

"Thank me? I should be thanking _you_..." Murrue giggled. "I was waiting..for you to ask me. But I didn't realise that until you _did_ ask me..." Snuggling close, she closed her eyes. "I love you.."

Mwu smiled, stroking his new fiancee's soft hair as she lay beside him on the grass. "I love you too.."

The stars...they had never seemed brighter than they did in that moment...

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( Hee hee lol. This is for big sis Jadzia, cos she said she liked the AU stories. Plus it was fun to imagine. I liked the idea of them doing laundry, and also the idea of Murrue-san tackleglomping Mwu when he asked her to marry him. I hope you all like it!

Please read and review! )


	65. Regret

That boy - Athrun, wasn't it? - lay fast asleep in the other sickbay bed, heavily bandaged. The Kira kid, who seemed to be a friend to Athrun, sighed, and stood up to leave. From his vantage point in the other bed, Neo could see that the boy's face was filled with worry, yet at the same time, happiness. Curious despite himself, he spoke up.

"So..where's this kid from? And what happened to him?" The Kira kid smiled ruefully, still looking down at the other boy. "He's from ZAFT...well, sort of. He was shot down trying to escape..trying to come here." Neo raised his eyebrows. "So he's a Coordinator?"

Kira nodded. "He's my best friend. Because he questioned the Chairman..this is his reward."

Neo leaned back against the wall, chuckling slightly. "So..trouble in paradise, huh? So, what's going to happen to him?"

"That's up to him. He can't go back..so I guess that he'll stay here with us.." The blonde man nodded, thoughtful. "And what about me? Now this ship's almost back at Orb..what happens to me?" He gestured to his arms, still bound together. "Guess I'll stay a prisoner..."

Kira only smiled. "I'm not sure..but I think that..you'll be okay." He wouldn't explain what he meant, just kept smiling, and left the sickbay.

_'I'll be okay'? What the hell does he mean by that?_

**A few days later**

_He floated in the zero gravity of the hangar, his mobile suit standing silent and grey beside him. She had come to see him off, and he couldn't very well leave without saying goodbye, now could he? She was there, in front of him, dark hair around her face, amber eyes full of fear..and love._

_"Don't worry, " he heard his own voice say, "I'll be right back." He placed a gloved hand comfortingly on her shoulder. "Bringing victory with me..." She still looked sad, but nodded. Closing her eyes, she leaned closer to him, hands flat to his chest. Wrapping an arm around her slender waist, he leaned down, his own eyes closing. And then..._

He woke up.

Blinking to clear the sleep from his eyes, Neo frowned, trying to remember what he'd just been dreaming about. He was sure it had been something important..something he needed to remember, but for the life of him, he couldn't. Kicking the bedsheets in frustration, he managed to sit up. The sickbay was dimly lit, not a soul in sight save for that boy Athrun sleeping in the bed opposite.

_He's slept a lot since being brought here...I guess they really did a number on him.._

Settling back against the wall, he tried once again to remember the dream, but to no avail. Scowling, he looked up at the ceiling, then shut his eyes as the bright lights were suddenly switched on.

The door swished open to reveal a tall, slender woman with dark auburn hair. The Captain. She was flanked by two soldiers, and, at a gesture from her, one of them stepped forward to where Neo sat...and cut his bonds. He stared for a couple of minutes at his suddenly freed hands, then up at the Captain in surprise.

"What's this?" She reached into the locker beside his bed, and pulled out the rest of his Alliance uniform, the jacket, boots, and gloves. Handing them to him, she replied. "You're being set free."

Bewildered, he donned the boots and jacket, not understanding. Looking down at himself, he frowned. Something didn't feel right...

"What's wrong?" asked the captain softly. He shook his head. "Something doesn't...hmmm..." Rolling up the jacket sleeves, he unzipped the collar slightly, and stuffed the white gloves into his pocket. Much better.

Looking up, he was surprised to see an expression of pain and sadness cross the captain's pale, pretty face just for an instant, then disappear, leaving only a blank look.

_There's something wrong with her...something she won't let anyone else see. Those soldier guys didn't notice it..but I did._

Stepping forward, one of the soldiers bound his hands again, and together, they escorted him from the tiny sickbay he had been trapped in for the past few weeks. Murrue walked behind them, watching Colonel Lorrnoke as he looked all around him. She couldn't help but let a tiny smile cross her face at his curiosity. He seemed to be trying hard to make it look as though he didn't care where he was, but the wide-eyed interest on his scarred face gave the game away.

_I don't blame him for being curious. All he's seen for the time he's been here is the sickbay..._

Murrue knew..that she should have had him locked up, had him put in the brig like any other prisoner. But she...she hadn't been able to bring herself to do that. _Even though..he isn't Mwu, even though he said that he was our enemy..I still couldn't do it. And I think..he appreciated it a little. He's changed since being brought here..he's much more approachable now, almost friendly._

Outside _Archangel_, the man looked up at the ship that had been his prison, and shook his head, smiling a little. Moving forward again at the guards' gesture, he stepped into the elevator leading up from the underground dock.

The elevator stopped, and opening the door, the guards led Neo out onto what looked like a cliff top. The bright sunlight stung his eyes, and he looked away sharply, blinking rapidly to get used to the change. A cool breeze blew across the cliff, and the sea could be heard crashing against the rocks far below. On a helipad just in front of them, he could see a gleaming blue and white plane.

"What's that for?"

The captain looked up at him. "I told you..you're being set free." As he stood there in front of the plane, one of the guards walked forward and cut his bonds again. Neo stood there, long hair blowing in the wind, staring at the woman in confusion.

"Why? What's this about?" She sighed. "Your injuries have healed now, right? If you stay here, you'll be injured again.."

Her face was a study in neutrality, revealing nothing of what she was thinking.

"Huh?" _What kind of excuse is that to let me go? And why now? Why is she worried about me getting hurt?_

"The Skygrasper is only a fighter jet..but we've made arrangements for you to use it.." She looked away suddenly, amber eyes filling with tears. The expression of pain she had hidden so well before was back, she not able to suppress it this time. Neo gasped as she turned away, the tears beginning to run down her cheeks.

_Why is she crying? Doesn't she want me to go? I'd have thought she'd be glad to be rid of me, if I remind her so much of this guy she lost. Or is that why she doesn't want me to go? _

Whatever the reason, the sight of her in so much pain caused his heart to twist for some unexplainable reason, and he walked closer to her, leaning over her shoulder to see if she was still crying. But his closeness seemed to cause her more pain, and she squeezed her eyes shut.

"You're not Mwu..." she muttered, and he stepped back, surprised, and hurt, for some reason. "You're not Mwu at all, right?" With that, the woman ran from him, hand to her mouth, the tears flying through the air with the speed of her movement. Neo just watched her go, emotions of all kinds swirling within him. Happiness that he was free, certainly. But the overriding feelings..were sadness, and regret. _Now I'm free...I don't want to go..to leave. It's stupid...but that's how I feel. More than anything, I wished I'd followed her. Why? Why do I want to stay here..with a ship that held me prisoner, with an entire crew who think I'm someone else?_

Not to mention that dream. He still couldn't remember what he had seen them, but there was still the unshakeable feeling that there was something he was forgetting. Something he was supposed to do..to keep...a promise?

Murrue ran through the corridors of the _Archangel_, the tears still streaming down her cheeks. Stopping, she leaned against the wall to try and get her breath, sobbing quietly. Why did she feel this way? That man...even though he looked so like her beloved Mwu, he wasn't him. So why? Why did it hurt so much to see him leave?

_It felt like a chance at happiness was slipping away from me. It was as if someone was trying to tell me something..to tell me to keep him here, with me. But how could I? This isn't his fight, and I had no right to keep him here._

Surely that was all it was, a vain hope that just because he looked so like Mwu, that one day he would _become_ him. Trying to smile, she wiped the tears away, a soft, ironic laugh at how ridiculous that sounded. Mwu was gone, she knew that, and keeping his lookalike here would only cause her more trouble and pain. Better to just let go.

_It doesn't matter. He's gone now, and I'll never see him again..._

But that thought didn't make her feel better...instead, it just made the pain in her heart worse. The tears came again, and she leaned back against the wall, hand to her chest.

_Why did I let him go?_

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( Angst! Drama! Heh. That bit in phase 42 was really sad, ne? How she didn't want him to go, and how it was clear that he didn't _want_ to go. Still, he came back XD

Please read and review! )


	66. Preparations

( This be the next part to the AU set of stories, a sequel to 'Hope'. For teh big sis lol )

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The sun beat down upon the city, the smell of traffic fumes and hot ground filling the air, as well as the scent of food from the shops and stalls lining the streets. Along the busy thoroughfare, a couple walked hand in hand. The man, being tall and broad-shouldered, was able to maneuvre through the crowds with relative ease, but the same couldn't be said for his small, slender companion, who was being buffeted this way and that by the flow of humanity. Finally, the man stepped to the side, pulling her with him into a cool, airy shop.

She sighed, running a hand through her long auburn hair. "I can't believe how busy it is today!"

He nodded, peering out of the shop window at the bustle of people. "Maybe it's 'cause the 'one year of peace' celebrations are in a few days?" he asked. Murrue stretched out her arms. "Perhaps..." Looking around herself, she frowned. "Mwu..why this shop?"

The man glanced back from the window. "Huh?"

Murrue gestured around herself. "Here..." The walls and ceiling of the shop were painted a pale cream, and booths around the walls held tall tables and chairs. All around them, people sat in the booths, chattering quietly, and eating. A counter in the far corner was lined with pictures of what the shop sold, tall glasses filled with frozen treats. An ice-cream shop.

The woman huffed, and placed her hands on her hips. "Don't try and tell me you didn't drag me in here on purpose." Mwu held up his hands in a gesture of innocence. "No! I didn't, I swear!" Looking around him, a teasing twinkle appeared in his crystal-blue eyes.

"Although.." he said, smirking slightly, "now that we're here, how 'bout we get a sundae?"

Murrue rolled her eyes. "I knew it..." But the idea did sound good. The day was hot, almost stifling, and the cool atmosphere of this shop revitalized her a little. Sighing, she smiled, and together, they walked over to the counter.

Sitting at one of the tables, the couple shared a chocolate orange sundae, he taking three spoonfuls for every one of hers. They had come out shopping for something special...her engagement ring. Mwu had asked Murrue to marry him (well, sort of) a little over a week ago. She hadn't wanted a ring, hadn't seen the point of him spending all that money on something like that. But he had insisted, and as stubborn as Murrue could be, Mwu was equally hard-headed, and eventually, she'd given in. With a few conditions. This ring, if he really must buy her one, wasn't going to be expensive, or flashy, or too over the top. He had protested at the expense part of the conditions, citing all the money he earned as a test pilot, but she wouldn't hear of it.

So that had been their morning so far. Wandering around the city, looking in jewellery shops. Mwu had seen some that he'd liked, but Murrue had put her foot down..they were all so expensive...

After their ice-cream, they continued their search, walking the streets of Orb in search of the perfect ring. Mwu seemed determined, Murrue less so. _I don't think anything like that exists..._

"What is it?" he asked gently, squeezing her hand. She sighed, looking up at the sky. "Nothing. But we've been here hours..walking around. And we still haven't found anything."

"I know.." he replied. "But we shouldn't give up, right? Here, there's another shop up here. Please, bear with me, okay?" Murrue looked down at her sandalled feet, then back up at her fiance. "All right. But just this last one..."

The jewellery store was one of the largest in the city, with gleaming gold, silver, and jewels locked securely in glass cabinets, and prim looking attendants standing there like statues. Murrue hung back, not sure whether to enter or not, but Mwu just went ahead and breezed into the store, pulling her along behind him. The attendants stared down their noses, as if the hot, dusty couple weren't welcome in the place...but Mwu didn't seem to care, crossing the carpeted floor to a cabinet full of rings.

"Here..do you see anything you like?" he asked, pulling Murrue to look at the jewellery. The auburn-haired woman gazed at the myriad rings, eyes widening at the display. Everything was so expensive, as was to be expected in a place like this.

"Mwu, I..." she began..then she saw it. A tiny golden ring in the far corner of the cabinet. "Look.." she breathed.

Mwu followed her gaze, and smiled happily. The ring looked like it would fit Murrue perfectly, and the stone set in it was clear amber.

"You like that?" She didn't answer, just nodded, the colour of her wide eyes reflecting the stone perfectly.

_This is..I have to get this for her..and it's not too expensive, either..._

Pointing out the ring to the attendant, he grinned at his fiancee's indredulous expression as she realised that he was going to buy it for her. After the piece of jewellery was paid for, he slid it onto her ring finger. "Thank you..." she breathed, staring at the ring as if hypnotised, beautiful eyes brimming with tears.

At home that evening, the pair sat together on the sofa, snuggled up together despite the oppressive warmth of the day. They talked softly about nothing much, planning what was left to take care of with the wedding. Neither of them had wanted anything fancy or overblown, preferring instead to just have a quiet ceremony, with just their friends attending.

"So, where's it gonna be?" asked Mwu, tipping his head back against the sofa. Murrue smiled, curled up in his arms. "I talked to Lacus-san about it, and she said that Malchio-sama would be happy to let us use his chapel..."

He grinned. "Beachside wedding, huh? That sounds great." He stretched out on the couch, laying lengthwise along it, blue eyes closed. An expression of contentment and peace was spread across his scarred face. Murrue kissed him on the cheek gently, causing one of his eyes to open. "Hmmmm?"

She laughed. "I'm making coffee. Would you like some?" At his lazy nod, she stood and moved to the kitchen, preparing the mugs, and flicking the kettle on to boil. As her hands moved to complete this task, a sparkle caught her eye, and she held up one thin hand to her face. The amber stone set in her engagement ring had caught the light, and she turned her hand this way and that, making the jewel glitter in the fading rays of the sun.

"Are you happy?" Startled, Murrue turned to see him standing there in the doorway, leaning against the frame. Her pink lips curved into a smile at his familiar figure. "Of course I am.." she replied softly. His face was serious, showing none of the humour or carefree attitude that he normally expressed. "I'm glad." he said simply. "Because...I wasn't sure whether you'd accept me or not..if you were really okay with marrying me. There's still time for you to change your mind..."

Surprised, she walked across to where he stood, taking his hand. "What brought this on all of a sudden?" Mwu laughed nervously. "Nothing, really. I just wondered, that was all...whether you were really happy."

Placing her hands on his shoulders, Murrue kissed the scar that forked across his nose and forehead. "Well, don't worry about that. There's no way I wouldn't have accepted. I love you too much to let anyone else have you..."

Turning away, she poured the coffee, and handed him the steaming mug. His face wore his usual smile again, the worry having vanished like a cloud passing before the sun. "Thanks, sweetheart.." he said gently, making her blush with the pet name.

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"Okay, yes, I see. I'll be there in about half an hour. Yes, yes I will. Okay, bye!"

Putting the phone down, Murrue turned to her fiance. "I'm just going out for a couple of hours, okay? I'm heading over to meet Lacus-san in town..to get my dress fitted." Mwu nodded, smiling. "Okay. What's this dress like?" he asked, making her giggle. "That, my love, is a secret." He pouted childishly. "Awww, come on, can't you tell me?"

"Nope." she replied, kissing him softly. "I won't be long. Besides, you can see my dress next week, so what's the rush?" Picking up her bag, she left, closing the door behind her. After the car had driven away, Mwu slumped back onto the sofa. The house would be so empty without her presence, even though she would be back in a little while. He smiled to himself.

_It's all happening so fast..after a year of doing nothing much, suddenly we're getting married in a week. But..there's really no sense in spinning all this out any longer. It's what we both want, after all. I wonder what being married to her will be like?_

But even as he wondered, he already knew the answer. He and his beloved Murrue had been living like this ever since the end of the war, and really, apart from the notion, being married wouldn't change much. Closing his eyes, he tried to imagine the wedding. He had already bought the rings, and arranged for a surprise for his bride in the chapel. There was nothing left to arrange, really.

_Now that I think about it...something will change. Not the way we feel about each other, but..we'll each have family._

Neither of them had any family left, no brothers or sisters, and their parents had died long ago. This way, he and Murrue would be each other's family, and the thought of that was comforting...knowing that neither of them would be alone anymore.

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The night before their wedding, Murrue took a long hot bath, washing her long dark hair. Her heart fluttered a little with anticipation, knowing that this time tomorrow, she and Mwu would be married. After her bath, she wrapped herself in a robe, looking at her steam-clouded reflection in the bathroom mirror. The woman in the glass gazed back, smiling when Murrue did. The reflection's face was happy, excited, a faint trace of pink to the cheeks not caused by the hot water, a sparkle to golden-brown eyes.

_I have what I wanted for so long. A life of peace, happiness, and someone I love with all my heart. After...after **he** died, I never thought that I would have something like this, especially when I thought that I'd lost Mwu as well. But...he didn't leave me, and tomorrow I never have to worry about being alone again..._

Exiting the bathroom, she jumped in surprise to see him standing there in the half-darkness, usual sunny smile on his handsome face. "You sure took a long time.." he said, laughing. "I wondered if you'd ever come out." Crossing the hallway, he took her in his arms for a loving hug, breathing in the scent of her soap and shampoo. "You smell great.." he muttered, making her laugh. Mwu leaned down to try and kiss her, but she pushed him away, trying to keep a straight face at his childish whine.

"Now, remember, the bride and groom can't see each other the night before the wedding. It's bad luck." she said, having real trouble keeping from smiling at the way his face fell. "Awwww..." he complained, trying to hug her again. "That's dumb. Come on..." His embrace was warm and comforting, and Murrue wanted nothing more than to just lean into him, to return the hug with one of her own. But, regretting it, she pulled away. "We can't..." Reaching up, she brushed her fingertips against his smooth cheek, smiling when he leaned into her touch. "Please, Mwu. It's just for one night. And tomorrow..we don't have to be apart again..."

He only nodded, taking her hand in his and pressing a kiss to it. "I love you, okay? See you tomorrow..."

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The day of the wedding dawned bright and clear, only a few clouds drifting here and there to mar the perfect blue of the sky. The little chapel by the beach buzzed with activity, the orphan children cared for by Kira and Lacus dressed in their best, helping the two teenagers and their friends add the finishing touches to the buffet-style meal prepared by Lacus, and Kira's mother Caridad. Mwu and Murrue had protested at this, but they wouldn't hear of it.

_"Now don't be silly. You're our friends, and we want you to be happy, okay?" _

Caridad had even made a wedding cake, a two-tier confection created in chocolate, and decorated with flowers of sugarpaste. It sat in the kitchen of the small wooden house, covered to protect it from the air (and little fingers). Mwu himself stood at the altar of the chapel, staring around himself without really seeing. People filed into the chapel, and took their seats at the tiny pews, whispering and muttering about all that had happened. All their friends were there, the bridge crew of the _Archangel_, Lacus, Kira's friend Athrun...even Cagalli, now Chief Representative of Orb, had taken time out from her busy schedule to attend the ceremony. Everyone was there...except for the one person Mwu was waiting for. He sighed, expression troubled. Even though he knew that she would be there any moment, he was still worried..worried that she _had_ changed her mind, just as he feared. But then, the door at the far end of the chapel swung open...and there she was.

Slowly, Murrue walked down the aisle towards him, leaning on Kira's arm. The dress she wore was pale pink satin, and clung to her beautiful body perfectly. A small lacy veil covered her face, but Mwu could easily make out her shining dark eyes, and the fact that her cheeks were just as pink as her gown. Looking around herself at all the people who had come to see, she gasped softly at the bouquets of roses that stood at the end of each pew, matching the one she carried in her arms. Glancing at Mwu, she smiled at his wink, knowing that it had most likely been his idea.

Reaching the altar where he waited for her, she held out her slender hand for him to take. He could feel that she was shaking, maybe from nervousness, or happiness, or both, he wasn't sure. He squeezed her hand gently, and she looked to him, blushing again when he smiled at her.

_"It's okay. We'll be all right.." _he mouthed, and she nodded, squeezing his hand in return, their fingers lacing together.

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(Yay! Finished:breathes out: That took soooo long to write. I hope you all like it! Thanks so much to Jadzia for helping me think of ideas...:hugs her: And yes, I know, it's yet another wedding fic. Bite me XD

Please read and review! )


	67. Kindness

The ship was quiet. Far quieter than a warship should ever be. Sure, they weren't under attack at the moment, but they were still on half-watch, and there should be crew manning the various stations. But instead...it was almost eerily silent. Where was everyone?

On his way down one of the corridors, Mwu spotted Kira. The boy looked worn out, carrying a small box in his arms.

"Hey, kid." Mwu greeted. "What's going on?" Kira sighed, placing the box on the floor, and leaning against the wall. "Haven't you noticed? There's some sort of sickness sweeping the ship, like a strain of flu, or something. A lot of people are ill with it."

Mwu _hadn't_ noticed. Sure, now that he thought about it, there had been a lot of people looking more tired than usual, and sometimes, crewmembers didn't show up for their shifts. But with the almost constant battles that had been taking place recently, the ZAFT forces blocking almost every move the _Archangel_ made, he had just assumed that everyone was exhausted.

"You really hadn't noticed, had you? Are you feeling okay?" asked Kira. Mwu nodded. "Oh yeah, I'm fine." He could understand why the kid wasn't sick, after all, he was a Coordinator. And he himself had a strong immune system, rarely becoming ill.

"Isn't there some sort of cure for it?" Mwu asked, confused. Surely there was a medicine for something like this?

"Well, there is a treatment, but it doesn't always work. Colds and flu are always unpredictable, the doctor says. It seems that the best remedy for this sickness is time, as it's usually gone from people's systems after about 24 hours. It's just bad luck that it hit everyone at the same time.." replied Kira, picking up his box. "If you find someone else who's sick, get them to stay in their rooms and get some sleep. Sickbay's full." The young man nodded to Mwu, and set off again, carrying the box.

Wadering the corridors for a little while, Mwu suddenly realised..he hadn't seen the Captain since that morning. And she'd looked very tired. Normally, it was just because she'd been working too hard, and not slept enough. But what if she was sick too?

Making his way to her room, he knocked gently on the door. _Please...let me be wrong. 'Cause if she **is** sick..she'll have ignored it. It's just the way she is..._

After several moments, the door slid open..and his fears were confirmed. The Captain looked dreadful. Her normally porcelain skin was waxy, cheeks flushed red. As she looked up at him in surprise, Mwu could see that her dark amber eyes were dulled. "Commander?" she whispered. "What are you.." Her words were suddenly broken off by a fit of coughing, she leaning on the doorframe until it passed. When she recovered her breath, she glanced back up, eyes widening as Mwu reached down and placed a hand on her forehead, underneath her wavy auburn hair. The red on her face deepened just a fraction at his touch, then she tried to pull away. "What is it?"

He sighed, running a hand through his own golden hair. "You're sick, aren't you? Like everyone else?"

The captain frowned. "Don't be silly. I'm not sick, I'm just tired." She swayed slightly on her feet as she spoke, and held onto the door. Mwu just watched her, eyebrows raised, and she scowled at him. "Don't look at me like that! I told you, I'm fine!"

With that..she passed out.

Catching her before she hit the floor, Mwu lifted her in his arms. Her breathing was heavy, and she was icy-cold, and he shook his head. _You're so stubborn. I was right. You ignored the fact that you were sick, until it got too much for you to cope with..._

Tucking her in bed, he sat down on the floor beside her. He knew that he should really leave, and let her sleep, but he didn't want to go. Something was keeping him here with her..by her side. Reaching out, he placed a hand on her forehead again, recoiling when the heat from her fever almost burned his fingers.

_She's burning up. I can't leave her like this..._Fetching a cool wet cloth from the bathroom, he placed it gently on her brow. It didn't look to help that much, but her breathing did ease a little. Brushing sweat-dampened hair from her face, he sat back down, eventually falling asleep, head pillowed on his arms.

Waking up several hours later, he peered around in the half-darkness for a few moments, unsure of where he was. The sound of heavy breathing caused him to remember what had happened, and he sat up, checking on the woman sleeping in the bed.

The covers were rumpled, and the Captain's pale, pretty face was flushed a hectic red, twisted in pain. Her fever had returned with a vengeance, the wet cloth having long since dried out.

_Damn...it's worse than I thought. She's really sick..._Soaking the cloth once more, Mwu placed it back on her head, smiling in relief when her expression of pain was lessened somewhat. But she was shivering violently, curled up into a ball in the bed to conserve heat. The thin sheets of the bed did nothing to keep the warmth in, and the convulsions seemed to be affecting her breathing.

_I wish there was something I could do for her..but what? _Taking her thin, cold hand in his own, he was startled when the Captain nuzzled closer to his arm in her sleep, his warmth helping her. _That's it..that's what I can do to help. She'll be mad at me, but there's no other choice..._

Carefully, Mwu climbed onto the small bunk, sitting up against the wall, and gently lifted the sleeping woman into his arms, wrapping her shivering form tightly in the bedsheet. He cradled her close to his chest, her head resting on his shoulder. Her breathing immediately eased, and after a few moments, the shivers died away, as the heat from his own body warmed her up. The captain even smiled a little, slender hand curling around his open jacket

Looking down at her, Mwu smiled back, blue eyes softening. It felt...nice, to be able to take care of someone like this. Especially her. Her dependence on him, even though she wasn't aware of it..he wasn't used to feeling like this, feeling such tenderness and compassion for another.

_But it feels great...it's been so long since I felt like this about anyone...**loved** anyone..._

Bringing the sleeping captain a little closer, he closed his eyes, falling asleep with her in his arms.

The next morning, Murrue woke up, amber eyes fluttering open, and gazing around the room. A small bowl sat on the bedside table, filled with water, and a cloth lay by it's side. _Who put that there?_

A few moments passed before the realisation made it's way through her fuzzy mind that not only was she cocooned in her bedsheet..she was also wrapped in someone's arms, their shoulder her pillow. Eyes widening, Murrue glanced up, red creeping onto her face at what she saw. Commander La Fllaga was sitting there on her bed, fast asleep, with her held in his arms.

_He was there..he came to see if I was okay..what happened? Did I pass out? And he..._Wriggling, she tried to escape the man's hold, then remembered the bowl that sat by the bed. _I was sick, wasn't I? It must have been worse than I thought. Did he...did he take care of me? _

Looking up at the sleeping man, she sighed, a small smile gracing her lips. He looked rather cute when he was sleeping, curly blonde hair framing his face, expression as peaceful and innocent as a child's. Warmth flooded through her at the fact that he was there, that he had been worried enough about her to check if she was all right, and had taken care of her while she was sick. Would anyone else have done that?

Closing her eyes, Murrue nestled back down in the Commander's arms, resting her head on his shoulder again. She was oddly happy..that he cared about her, that he had stayed with her. And at that moment, she wanted to stay here with him, like this.

_When we're back on duty, I can always pretend that this never happened. But I won't forget it. And if he ever gets sick, then I'll take care of **him**._

Smiling, Murrue fell back asleep, cradled in the Commander's embrace.

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( That was...more than a little OOC, ne? But I liked writing it. Hope you all like reading it, and I'm sorry for picking on poor Murrue-san again!

Please read and review! )


	68. Afterwards

( Okay. This is sort of an alternative to an earlier chapter, 'Decisions'. I liked that one, but it made me wonder whether I wasn't making them take things too quickly. So I decided to write this as well, then people can go with the idea they think is the most likely. It's not AU as such, as it never shows you what happens after the war anyway.. )

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The war was over. Messiah hung in the void of space, the once-powerful fortress nothing more than rubble now. And with the destruction of Requiem...ZAFT had lost the will to fight, the scattered remnants of their fleet alone and bewildered. The Orb ship _Archangel_, it's sleek lines scorched and battered by the recent battle with _Minerva_, waited in the midst of a sea of debris. The crew of the ship were exhausted, slowly working to repair what damage had been caused, wondering if the war was really over now..if they could all go home soon.

In one of the corridors of this ship, the usually bright lights dimmed slightly, two people floated along together. Neither of them spoke, the emotions they were feeling not able to be put into words. As they made their way along the hallway, no real destination in mind, the woman looked up at her male companion. She found herself studying everything about him, his tall, strong build, wavy, collar-length golden hair, cobalt-blue eyes..he was just the way she remembered him.

_He's really here, isn't he? And...and he remembers me..knows who I am..._

Shyly, Murrue reached out and slipped her hand into his. Mwu turned around, surprised, then squeezed her hand gently, smiling at her. The smile made her heart flutter, and she looked away, pink creeping onto her cheeks. Fingers entwined, the couple continued along the corridor until they reached the observation deck, stopping there for no particular reason. Beyond the thick glass of the window, the wreckage of the battle still floated, shattered remains of ships, mobile suits...people..the aftermath of war. Shuddering slightly at the sight, as well as the memories such things brought back, Murrue again glanced up at Mwu. His deep blue eyes had been trained on the outside as well, but, feeling her gaze upon him, he turned back. "What is it?" he asked quietly, smiling a little. She didn't answer, instead reaching up to his face, tracing the path of the scar forking across his nose with her fingertips, before running a hand through his hair. Mwu chuckled at her touch. "Do I look different now?"

Murrue shook her head. "No.." she replied, soft voice almost a whisper. "You're the same..." He raised an eyebrow, catching her hand that still lingered in his hair, and pulling it down to his scar again. "Even with this?" he asked, and she nodded. "Scars are only scars..." she said, amber eyes softening with her smile. "They don't make a difference." Suddenly shy again, she looked up at him through her eyelashes, cheeks slightly pink. "And what about me? Am I different?"

Mwu gazed at her for a moment, taking everything in...then he nodded. Murrue looked surprised. "Really? How?"

Grinning, he reached out with a hand, this time he the one to trace her features, running a thumb over her cheekbones. "You've gotten more beautiful." he answered, his grin broadening at her blush. His hand moving down, it left her face, instead taking hold of a lock of her auburn hair, rubbing it gently between fingers. "Your hair is longer..."

She giggled at that, gesturing to his own unruly waves. "And so is yours." Mwu blinked, then laughed. "Yeah.."

Turning from the window, the couple continued with their journey, hand-in-hand once more. No-one was around, the crew not on repair detail or on shift instead taking some well-deserved rest. Mwu and Murrue were alone for the most part.

"So..." she said, breaking the silence, "how much do you remember now?"

"Everything." he replied simply. "All that I was missing, my childhood, the military, being on this ship. And..and I remember everything about you.." He smiled, the expression impish and saucy. "Inside and out.."

Murrue flushed red, quickly checking around them for signs of crewmembers who might be listening. "Quit that!" she hissed, hitting him on the arm. "We're in public!"

"What?" he asked innocently. "I didn't say anything wrong..." She just glared at him, and he laughed, the loud, merry chuckle ringing through the empty hallways for the first time in two years. The laughter was so infectious, she couldn't help joining in, her giggle blending with his chuckles until they were both out of breath.

"Strange that.." Mwu remarked, pulling her close to him. "It wasn't that funny..." She smiled at that, wrapping slender arms around his neck. "But..it's just like it used to be..I never thought I'd miss being teased by you like that."

He leaned down, arms wrapping tightly around her waist. "Well, now I can tease you a lot more..." His mouth moved closer to hers, and Murrue's eyes fluttered closed, she waiting for the kiss..

That never came. Instead, she reopened her eyes wide in surprise as his large mouth stretched in a yawn. "Oops, sorry.." he said when it was over, looking sheepish. "Guess that battle took it out of me more than I thought."

Murrue checked her watch. "It_ is _pretty late now. We should get some sleep." Joining hands once more, they headed for the deck where their quarters waited. Outside her room, she looked up at him, shy once more. "Well..goodnight.." she whispered, cheeks pinking. He smiled tenderly, leaning down and capturing her lips in a gentle, loving kiss. "Goodnight, Murrue.."

Both of them felt that there was something more they needed to say, but neither could think of the right words. So instead, they separated, heading for their own rooms.

Or at least..for a while.

Later that night, Murrue was fast asleep, curled up in her bed, breathing soft and even. Quietly, the door to her room slid open, and a figure crept inside, making as little noise as possible. Carefully stealing into the bed, the figure wrapped an arm around the sleeping woman's waist, causing her to stir. "Hmmmm?" she muttered drowsily, startled, only to smile when her mysterious visitor nuzzled close to her, kissing her neck softly. "Go back to sleep.." his deep voice murmured into her hair.

Her smile growing, she closed her eyes, his warmth and closeness easing the last part of the loneliness she still felt.

"'Love you, Mwu.." she whispered. "Thank you..for coming back to me.." His hold on her waist tightened, and she felt his voice warm on her face. "I love you too. Thank you for waiting for me..."

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( There we go. Is that better than the other story?

Please read and review! )


	69. Visitation

The small town was peaceful and quiet, a few cars on the streets, and leafy trees lining the pavements, casting much needed shade on passers-by. Along the main street of this town, a couple walked hand-in-hand. The woman looked around her, her expression one of interest and happy familiarity as she gazed at the landmarks and people. The man beside her smiled at her obvious delight.

"So..this is where you grew up, Murrue?" he asked, gesturing around him with his other hand. The woman nodded. "This was home for me, until I joined the military." She pointed vaguely to the south-west. "My house was that way, and I used to take the bus into town so I could get to school."

Mwu laughed at that, and Murrue turned to him in surprise. "What?" He waved a hand, indicating that it was nothing. "It's okay.." he replied. "I just bet that you were a really cute kid..."

She blushed at that, and looked away, although there was a small smile on her face. "I was kinda skinny and gawky, actually. Boys didn't notice me much."

Together, they continued down the street, Murrue pointing out places that she used to visit as a child, as well as her school, and the park. "Mom used to take me there when I was a kid. We used to sit by the fountain when it was really hot, and eat ice-cream..."

Mwu smiled at that, happy that at least Murrue had been given a happy childhood. "You wanna go and see if it's the same?"

She shook her head, and squeezed his hand a little tighter. "There's...there's something else that I need to do."

After their walk, the couple drove to a spot just outside the town, a large walled garden surrounded by trees. Inside, this garden was criss-crossed with paths, and a few other people walked around, some with family, some with flowers, others simply to remember. All along the walkways were stones and memorials of every shape and size, inscribed with names and dates. A cemetery.

Mwu closed his eyes at the memories a place like this brought back. He remembered that rainy day when he was a child, standing in front of his parents' grave. not able to really understand why they were there...why they weren't coming back. People behind him had been whispering, he remembered, whispering about how tragic the fire had been, how it was a shame his father had died. He didn't hear, but somehow, little Mwu had been sure that they'd also been muttering to themselves about how it was a shame that only _he_ had survived..the disappointment of his parents, the one his father was ashamed of. He had wondered, even as such a young child, whether they didn't think that he should have been the one caught in the fire, rather than his father...

"Mwu? What's wrong?"

Blinking, shaken out of his memories, he shook his head, smiling a little at the one who stood before him. Her amber eyes were filled with concern and confusion, and he squeezed her hand. "It's nothing, sweetheart," he reassured her. "Just remembering something I wish I hadn't..."

"Was it about..when your parents died?" she asked, and he stared at her in surprise at her perception. He nodded, not trusting himself to speak. Murrue smiled softly, and wrapped her arms around him. "It's okay..." she whispered, laying her head on his shoulder. "You don't have to think about that anymore..that's in the past.." Mwu closed his eyes, and hugged her back, breathing in the scent from her hair. She was right, he knew that, and things were different now. What other people thought of him didn't matter. And..and he wasn't alone anymore.

"Are you feeling better?" she asked, still nestled close to him. He smiled, and kissed the top of her head. "Yeah. Thank you.."

Slowly, Mwu and Murrue made their way around the memorial garden. The place was old..some of the stones having been there for over a hundred and fifty years. Marble angels stood guarding the corners of some tombs, their peaceful faces overgrown with moss after being there for so long.

"So..where are they?" Mwu asked, looking down at hs girlfriend and the bouquet of flowers she carried. Murrue pointed to the far wall. "Over there..near the river. Dad loved the river..Mom said he used to go fishing there all the time when he was home."

Mwu glanced down in surprise. "You don't remember him?"

Murrue looked down at the ground as they walked, dark eyes troubled. "Not..not very well. He was a military doctor, worked at some laboratory somewhere..I'm not sure on the details, Mom never told me much. I think his work must have been classified, because even now, I can't find any records of the work he did. When I was really little, maybe about five or six, a soldier came to our front door. I was outside, playing in the garden, so I didn't hear what he said to Mom. But she sank to the floor, and started crying. I didn't understand why, until she came out later and sat on the swing with me..telling me that Dad wouldn't be coming home anymore. They did bring his body back though...and Mom had him buried near the river.."

Mwu stared at her as she spoke. Her beautiful face was sad, but calm and composed. "Did you go to the funeral?" he asked, and she shook her head. "I was too young. Mom made me stay with the neighbours. I didn't really understand why everyone was so sad. To me, Dad was someone I saw every Christmas, and sometimes on my birthday. I was never that close to him."

They had reached the sloping path which led down to the river, and Mwu could hear the rush and gurgle of the water. Murrue walked just ahead of him, although her small hand was still entwined with his own. "Here we are..." she called.

_This is the whole reason we came here..._thought Mwu. _The whole reason we came here to California..to her home town. So she could visit her parents. I've never once been back to my parents' grave...I never wanted to..._

Kneeling down in front of the small stone, Murrue wiped dirt and moss away from the inscription. Peter Ramius...died July 12th, CE 51, and Lily Ramius, died September 15th, CE 64...so long ago. Ten years since her mother died, and it was time to keep her promise.

"Hey, Mom...it's me. I remembered what you told me..before you died...and I'm here, I kept my promise. That I would come back ten years later, so you could see what I am now..what I did with my life. You were right about how being a soldier would bring me sadness...but it also brought me happiness. Look!" She held up her left hand, the diamond on her engagement ring sparkling in the late afternoon sunlight. "I'm getting married next month. I wish that you could meet Mwu..I know you'd love him. But then again, I'm sure that you've been watching me all this time, so you'll already know what he's like, and how happy I am with him..."

Murrue stayed like that for a little while, staring at the inscription of her mother's name on the marble headstone, smiling. Then, to Mwu's dismay, she suddenly broke down, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Hey, hey..." he said softly, pulling her gently to her feet and wrapping her in a soothing hug. Murrue buried her head on his shoulder and just cried, the tears soaking into his shirt.

"I...I miss her so much.." she sobbed, and he rubbed her back gently, not able to say much to comfort her.

"Are you feeling better now?"

They were sitting on the riverbank, staring at their reflections in the rushing water. Murrue had stopped crying, though her eyes were still red. She nodded, and reached out to dip her hand in the water. "Mom...she raised me all by herself after Dad died. Even though her friends said..she should find someone else, she never did. She loved Dad too much. So it was just me and Mom..and I was happy. When I got older, I decided that I wanted to join the military. She was against it, remembering what Dad's life was like, but I was determined. Eventually, she let me join, but she always told me that being a soldier brought sadness."

Mwu slipped an arm around her. "How..did she die?"

"When I was in my first year at the academy..she got sick. It was easily treated, but she needed to fight it too. But..but she didn't. I think that because I was grown-up..she just wanted to be with Dad again. She died after only a few months..."

A tear glimmered in the corner of her eye, and Mwu pulled her into a hug. "I'm sorry. I complained about my childhood..and about my parents' death...but what happened to you was worse.."

She laughed a little. "No..no it wasn't. But don't worry. Another thing I promised Mom..was that one day, when I stopped being a soldier, I would settle down and have my own family...my own children. Will you..will you help me keep that promise?"

Mwu smiled, and kissed her on the forehead.

"Of course I will..."

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( Lol, weird and random today. But I think this is partly what Tearshield Alchemist wanted, so this is for her.

Please read and review! )


	70. Other Self

_Man...I'm tired..._

Work had been tough the last few days. Even though the war was over, there was still a lot to do. The upcoming ceasefire and peace talks were taking a lot longer than anticipated to prepare, and everyone was completely exhausted. All those not on duty were already asleep, except for a select few. Mwu groaned, and stretched out. He needed a rest, or at least a break.

_Think I'll take a bath..although it'll be dull all by myself. I wish I knew where Murrue was.._

He hadn't seen her all day, their duties keeping them busy, and apart. Once, while on the bridge, he'd thought he'd caught sight of a flash of auburn hair, but it had been gone by the time he turned around.

Sighing with disappointment, Mwu opened the door and went into the men's side of the bath. The steaming hot water felt great, melting away all the aches and pains he'd picked up during the course of the day. Stretching out in the water, he smiled, and closed his eyes. This had been just what he needed, and it was even better when there was no-one else here. He could fall asleep here quite easily, with the heat of the water, and the soft humming from just behind him...it was perfect.

_Waitaminit. Humming? Where's that coming from?_

Opening his eyes, he glanced around. No-one in sight. Had it been from behind him? In the women's side? Carefully moving in the water to the far side of the bath, he placed his ear against the wooden partition. He could hear the faint padding of bare feet across the stone surround of the water, then splashes as whoever it was entered the bath. The gentle humming continued, and a huge smile spread across Mwu's scarred face as he realised who the other bather was. Turning his face to the partition, he tried his best to find a crack, or a hole to peek through..but to no avail. All he could do was imagine.

_That's no damn good. There must be another way.._

He looked around the room, blue eyes trying to find any hint of a way to see through to the other side of the bath. It seemed hopeless..until he looked up. The partition didn't reach all the way up to the ceiling. If he stood on the stone surround of the bath...he could see over the top. Perfect.

Slowly, Mwu stood up, and climbed out of the bath. Standing on his tip-toes, he cautiously peeked over, just in case the other bather wasn't who he thought it was. _Don't wanna be busted for harrassment again..._

Murrue leaned back in the hot water, amber eyes closed, a small, relaxed smile on her face. She had decided to take a bath at this late hour because she'd known she'd most likely have it to herself. And she'd been right. The quiet solitude was a welcome change from the hectic pace of the day, just what she had needed. Opening her eyes, she looked around her, her smile growing with the happiness she felt...then she frowned.

_What is that? It feels like someone's...watching me?_

Looking up, her eyes widened as she saw that someone was indeed watching her. There he was, leaning on the separating partition, a happy expression on his handsome face. Murrue shrank down in the water, blush staining her cheeks. "M-Mwu!" she squeaked, focusing quickly on the water. "I-I didn't know you were here!"

He laughed, the sound echoing around the small room. Then he vanished from view, a loud splashing all that could be heard. Murrue looked up, confused. "Mwu?" No answer. Had he slipped and fallen? Hurt himself? Worried, she stood up out of the bath, wrapping a towel around her slender form, and made her way back through the changing room on her way around to the men's side.

Only to run (quite literally) into him halfway around. Cannoning off him, she slipped on the wet floor, and was about to fall, when he caught her, lifting her into his arms.

"Are you okay?" he asked, concerned, face inches from her own. Blushing again, she looked away, trying to wriggle from his hold. "T-that was what I was going to ask you..!"

"Oh?" he asked, mischievously. "Were you worried about me?" His grin wide and impish, he turned her head so she was looking at him. "Well?" Murrue sighed, and met his gaze with her own. "No, actually. I was thinking of how it would have been your own fault if you'd hurt yourself. You'd have deserved it..for peeking."

Mwu just laughed at that. "Peeking?" He set her down on the ground, and just gazed at her affectionately. The gentle smile on his face made her face redden, but she still glared at him. "Yes, peeking. It's harrassment." She tried her best to affect a scolding air, but all that was forgotten when he lightly trailed a hand down her arm, and squeezed her hand. "So..." he said softly. "As Neo..I can take a bath with you, but now I have my memories, I can't even look at you?"

Murrue looked away at that, realising how stupid it sounded. Of all the people who could have been watching her, _he_ was the one that, deep down, she would _want_ to watch her.

"I'm sorry.." she said quietly. "I didn't mean for it to come out that way..." He leaned down, and kissed her on the forehead. "I know. It's all right." Still holding onto her hand, he led her back the way she had come, pausing to lock the door to the outside.

"What are you doing?" she asked, only to gasp in surprise when he lifted her into his arms again.

"Since we're here..." he said cheerfully, "why don't we take a bath together again? Then neither of us will really be _peeking..._"

Murrue blushed furiously in response, and Mwu laughed again, carrying her through the changing rooms, and setting her back down in the steamy water, before climbing in himself.

"You know, I'm surprised.." he said idly after a while, making Murrue look up at him. "About what?" she asked, confused. "About how you actually agreed to take a bath with me when I didn't have my memories back." Mwu continued. "Since I wasn't myself, I wonder now why you would have.."

Murrue looked up, amber eyes bright with the steam. "I'm not really sure myself why I did. It's just..you were so similar at that point to the way you are again now. But at the same time, you were different."

He looked at her, blue eyes meeting hers. "Different how?"

"I..I'm not sure how to describe it. Since you didn't know me, you acted differently towards me. Still cheerful, but more polite." She smiled. "More...charming.."

Mwu raised his eyebrows. "Charming? You prefer that to the way I am now?" Murrue giggled. "Of course, I love you the way you are, you know that. But your other self..he would never have peeked at me, I'm sure of it." Mwu pretended to scowl, and moved closer to her, taking her in his arms. His blonde hair tickled her face, and his breath was warm on her cheek.

"So, which do you prefer now?" His hands gently caressed her wet skin, moving lower under the water. Murrue gasped, and closed her eyes. "I...I..." she whispered, her cheeks flushing pink. Her arms wound around his back as he pulled her closer against his body.

"We...we shouldn't...do this here.." she gasped, and he smirked, planting kisses on her neck. "Maybe we shouldn't.." he replied. "And my other self wouldn't have done this. So..would you like me to stop?" His hands continued to caress her, until finally, she gave in, collapsing against him. "No..."

Mwu grinned in triumph, kissing her softly. "So, who do you prefer? Me, or my other self?"

She looked up at him, amber eyes full of love.

"You..."

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( That was so random it's scary. And OOC too. But..meh. I always wondered if Mwu thought at all about Murrue-san taking a bath with him before he got his memories back (cos we all know that she did. Lol.) Would he be jealous?

Please read and review! )


	71. Adjusting

The little wooden house was crowded and noisy, the children living there racing around, overexcited at the fact that the war was finally over, and everyone had come home. Lacus stood in the kitchen, helping Kira's mother make the dinner. They needed more food than usual, due to their extra guests. Besides all the children, themselves, Malchio-sama, and Kira, there were two extra people. These people were sitting close together on the porch, her head on his shoulder, staring out at the blue sea just beyond.

"Lacus, dear..who is he? The person Murrue-san brought home with her?" Caridad gestured to the man who stared into the horizon, long blonde hair blowing in the sea breeze. Lacus smiled gently.

"That's Fllaga-san. Do you remember when we all came back after the first war..when Murrue-san was so sad? He was the reason...because she thought he'd died..." Caridad nodded thoughtfully. "Yes..I remember. The poor thing was so unhappy then..she wouldn't smile, all she did was sit by herself. Kira told me she'd lost someone she loved. So that man..is him?"

The younger woman looked at the couple on the porch, smiling again at the content and happy expression on Murrue's face as she leaned against the man's shoulder. "Yes. I'm not sure of all the details, but it seems as though he survived, just got amnesia. But now..he remembers everything, and he and Murrue-san are together again."

Chopping tomatoes, Caridad looked out of the kitchen window at the blue sky beyond. "I'm pleased for her.." she said softly. "If there was anyone who deserved that kind of happiness the most, it would be her. I just wish...we could _all_ be that lucky.."

On the porch, Mwu and Murrue sat close together still, hands entwined, she resting her head against his. Her amber eyes were closed, a peaceful expression on her pale face. This was what she had dreamed of, ever since the previous war had ended. Ever since she'd been left alone. Once, the dream had been only that, an impossible vision of something that could never be. But now...

She snuggled closer to Mwu, her smile growing.

Mwu himself smiled a little as he felt her move closer. His gaze was fixed on the ocean, the breakers spraying white surf onto the seashore. Some of the orphan children raced across the beach, leaving trails of footprints in the sand. It was...it felt so strange...A life like this..was something he'd never had. All he'd known for longer than he wanted to think about..was being a soldier. Murrue and the others, they'd had two years of peace, two years to be themselves, and be happy.

"Murrue-san! Murrue-san..come play with us!" A small group of the children swarmed up to the porch, carrying a ball. Opening her eyes, Murrue smiled at the kids. "I will. In a little while, okay?" She heard Mwu chuckle beside her. "It's all right, Murrue. Go play with them. I bet they've missed you..."

She looked up at him, confused at the faraway expression in his deep blue eyes. But before she could ask him what was wrong, the children took her hands and led her further down the beach, their giggles mixing with the cries of the sea birds. Mwu simply sat and watched them, smiling at the sight of the former battleship captain playing a noisy game of tag with young children, her auburn hair blowing backwards in the breeze. As he watched, she pounced on one of the orphans, lifting up and swinging him around, her dark eyes dancing with laughter. The sight gave him a funny feeling in his heart. _This is almost..like being part of a family. I don't know what that's like...never knew what it was like. Maybe now I've been given another chance..I could learn?_

That evening, everyone piled around the large table in the kitchen to enjoy all the food that Lacus and Caridad had prepared earlier that day. The small, cosy kitchen was filled with the sounds of talking and laughing as everyone piled their plates high. The children eagerly chatted away about all the things they had been doing while the fighting had been going on, making the adults smile at the thought that they could now grow up in a world where it was safe. Mwu had been quiet while all this was going on, only smiling a little when someone looked at him. Murrue was worried, and gently squeezed his hand under the table. He didn't say anything, just squeezed back. After dinner, he stood up from the table, and made his way outside. Standing up to join him, Murrue looked around at the others, apologetic.

"It's okay, Murrue-san.." said Kira. "Mwu-san probably just isn't used to crowds of people yet. Go find him. We've set the bed up in the spare room for you, so it doesn't matter what time you get back.." Nodding her thanks, the dark-haired woman pushed open the door and stepped out onto the beach.

The cool evening breeze made her shiver a little, and she hugged her arms around herself, wishing she'd worn more than just a skirt and blouse. Mwu was standing a short distance away, his eyes once again trained on the sea.

"Mwu?" she called gently, causing him to turn around and look at her. "Are you all right?"

He smiled at her, and nodded. "I'm okay. It's just..I have a lot to think about, that's all" Murrue came up to stand beside him, slipping her hand into his. "This is..a lot to get used to, isn't it? After fighting for so long..being alone like you were. It must be strange.." she said softly, leaning against his shoulder. He sighed, the breeze whipping strands of hair across his scarred face. "It just...it makes me angry. Not this part.." he elaborated, waving a hand around at the dark beach, and the little house behind them, "but the part where I think that..I should have had all this before. This life..this peace. But that chance was stolen from me.."

Murrue looked up at him, startled at the trace of bitterness in his voice. "You mean..by the Earth Alliance?"

He squeezed her hand tightly. "I remember waking up..and not knowing where I was. It was some sort of sickbay, but dim, and dark. I was all alone, and in a lot of pain. I remembered what I'd done, and being surprised that I was alive. But I thought that..once I recovered, I could find the _Archangel_ again. Once I could breathe for myself, I called out." He turned to Murrue. "I called...for you. But no-one ever came. Then one day, when I woke up...it was all gone. I didn't know who I was, or who I had been...anything. The day my life was stolen..."

Murrue stared, tears welling in her amber eyes. "It's all my fault.." she whispered. "I should have looked for you..should have gone back. We..we could have found you..I.." The tears began to trickle down her cheeks, falling to the sand. Dismayed, Mwu pulled her into his arms. "How could any of this have been your fault?" he asked, stroking her hair. "Don't ever blame yourself for what happened.."

She looked up at him, the tears still falling. "I just wish...things could have been different.." she whispered, rubbing her eyes with her fingers.

"I know, sweetheart, " he replied gently, wiping the last of the tears away. "But it's okay now. I'm here, and I finally get the chance to be with you like this. And like I said, I'm not going anywhere anymore, so don't cry." Murrue sniffled, then smiled up at him, the sunshine returning to her face. "You promise?" she asked, and he laughed. "Yup, I promise.."

Joining hands, the couple walked along the beach. The stars twinkled overhead, their glow mixing with the faint light of the hourglass-shaped PLANT colonies. The evening was clear and warm, perfect for a romantic stroll, despite the sea breeze that still blew. The moonlight made the sand sparkle silver, and Mwu grinned suddenly, letting go of Murrue's hand, and pulling off his shoes.

"What are you doing?" asked the woman, giggling slightly. Mwu laughed, sinking his toes into the sand. "It's been so long since I felt that..I'd forgotten.." Leaving his shoes lying where he had dropped them, he raced over to the sea, dipping his bare feet into the water.

Murrue smiled happily to see him finally enjoying himself again, acting like the childish, sunny person she had fallen in love with all that time ago. "What's the water like?" she called, a giggle in her voice as she watched him splash. He chuckled. "Here, try it!" he yelled, kicking some of the surf in her direction. She squealed as the cool water hit her bare legs. "Hey!" But he looked so happy, she couldn't be angry at him. Pulling off her own sandals, she ran to join him, kicking some of the water at him

For a while, the silence of the night was broken by splashing and laughing, two former soldiers learning to enjoy life once more.

"So..what about you?"

The two of them were sitting on the sand, watching the distant lights in the sky. Mwu had his arms firmly wrapped around Murrue's waist, and she was smiling, almost dozing off due to his warmth. "What about me?" she murmured, snuggling closer.

He kissed her gently on the cheek. "What did you do..in these past two years?" he asked.

She opened her eyes, amber trained on the moonlit sea. "I lived here..with everyone. I worked for Morgenroete - still do, as a matter of fact. I ended up as head of shipbuilding section B, working with Commander Bartfeld, and some of the technicians. It was a nice life..simple, and peaceful..until the day Junius Seven hit. That changed everything. Suddenly, everyone seemed to be waiting for something. Then, when Cagalli-san ended up being pressured into being allied with the Atlantic Federation..we had to leave. Orb wasn't safe for us anymore, and we wanted to fight to keep it the way it should always be."

"I see.." he said thoughtfully. "I'm glad...that you were okay, and not alone.."

Murrue smiled. "No, I wasn't alone. But I was still lonely. Because the person I most wanted to be there with me..wasn't able to be.."

Mwu opened his eyes, and gazed at her. "You mean me?"

She laughed softly. "Of course I mean you. Who else? Peace is so much nicer when you can spend the time with someone you love, and I could never have imagined being with anyone but you."

He hugged her tighter. "If I hadn't come back..then what?" She looked down, a sad expression on her face. "I'd already decided. I decided after we came back after the first war..that I would wait for you. However long it took before I could see you again, I would wait."

Mwu couldn't reply, only kiss her gratefully, wondering what on Earth he had done to deserve someone like her..who would have stayed faithful to his memory forever, even if he had never come back. But as the embrace deepened, he realised that, had the situation been reversed, he would have done the same..would have waited, keeping his heart only for her.

"You know?" he asked softly, when their kiss broke, "This peace thing..it might not be so hard to get used to after all..."

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( :grins: Sappy, huh? But I always wondered..whether he'd be angry at the EA for stealing two years of his life. I sure would be...And I'm sure he'd have a hard time adjusting to peace.

Please read and review! )


	72. Roses and Marigolds

Everyone has their own favourite flower.

Some prefer lilies, others daisies, or tulips. And some even say they love all flowers the same. But deep down, everyone has a favourite. And hers...were roses. Ever since she was a little girl, she had loved roses. She loved the look of them, the smell, and the velvety feel of the petals between her fingers. Even her perfume and shampoo were rose-scented. The smell reminded her of her childhood... and brought mixed pain and joy.

Pain because the scent also reminded her of _him_. He had known how much she loved those flowers. The locket he had given her, the silver coffin-shaped one with the rose sculpted on the front..it had been a gift from him because of that. And whenever they had docked, he would always go out into the town or city around the dock, and bring her back a rose. So the flowers..they reminded her of him. Their sweet scent brought back memories of the times she had spent with him, and, in the days after his death, had clogged up her heart, the smell bringing tears instead of smiles.

But now..even though the flowers still brought a feeling of melancholy, they also brought happiness. Because Mwu loved their scent - her scent. He had told her that he had grown to love the smell of roses because they reminded him of her, and it was the first thing that always let him know that she was near. After that moment on the bridge...their first kiss...he had gone out somewhere, and she hadn't known where, or understood why, until after the battle that took place that day. She had entered her office, worn out with the hectic pace of the day..then had seen it. A single red rose, wrapped in clear cellophane, laying on her desk.

Tears had sprung to her eyes, colour to her cheeks, It was the same...just as _he_ had used to do. Picking up the flower gently, she had held it close, amber eyes fluttering shut as she inhaled it's scent.

"Do you like it?" A voice from the doorway behind her had startled her, and she'd spun around, rose still clutched to her chest. Seeing him standing there, smiling...it had made her blush deepen. "Y-yes..thank you.." she'd whispered, looking at the floor.

Mwu had just laughed. "I thought that it would be perfect. 'Cause it's beautiful..just like you."

She hadn't known whether to be embarrassed, happy, or just mad at him for saying silly things like that. Eventually, she'd simply placed the flower on her desk, walked up to him, and kissed him on the cheek. Mwu had closed his deep blue eyes, breathing deeply, then pulled her into his arms.

"M-Mwu!" she had gasped, the word almost coming out as a squeak. "What are you..."

"Ssssshhh..." he'd said, holding her close. His hands had caressed her hair, his warmth easing some of the fatigue she was feeling. After a couple of minutes, her arms had wound around his middle, she resting her head on his chest.

"Thank you..." she whispered again, a small smile on her pale face.

Ever since that day, his favourite thing had been to sneak up behind Murrue and wrap his arms around her, pulling her into a hug. He loved to cuddle her close so her warmth would mix with the scent of roses, and nuzzle into her thick, shiny auburn hair. Sometimes she would try and push him away, sometimes she would giggle, and cover his arms with her own. But whatever her reaction was...she always blushed, her cheeks turning the colour of the flowers she loved so much.

One night, when they were lying wrapped in each other's arms, he had buried his face in her hair again, breathing in her scent. Murrue had laughed, her soft giggle echoing around the small room. "Do I really smell so good?" He had responded by kissing her on the cheek. "You sure do. I never used to be that into flowers, but now I've changed my mind.."

She'd looked up at him, running her hands through his short blonde hair. "You never had a favourite flower?" He had chuckled, stroking her soft, velvety skin (even her skin reminded him of a rose). "Nah. Well, I didn't use to, but now I do"

"Oh?" she'd asked, a warm smile on her face, eyes twinkling. "What is it then?"

Instead of answering, he'd just kissed her. Those eyes of hers had opened wide in surprise, then closed in bliss, her arms snaking around his neck. His favourite flower, he'd come to realise, was another that reminded him of her. One of the features he loved most about Murrue was her eyes. That strange, almost otherworldly shade of amber..the colour of marigolds. Those were his favourite flowers, the only flower he'd ever seen that could come close to matching her eyes.

_Roses and marigolds..whenever I see or smell them...I'll always think of her.._

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( hehehehe fluff XD. Hope it's cute enough!

Please read and review! )


	73. Falling

The glass was cold, the smooth feeling of it conforting, soothing her troubled mind for a little while. Looking up, out through the window, she could see her ship, hanging there suspended in the zero gravity of Mendel's docking port. She sighed. There had been so many things happening recently..she had a lot to think about, so she had come out here, inside the dock, hoping that the change in scenery would help clear her head somewhat. But it hadn't. All coming out here had done was to further increase her anxiety. Now that she was away from the day-to-day running of her ship, away from planning battle strategies..her mind had wandered to her personal...problem.

_Is it a problem? Or is it just my head trying to control my heart?_

_  
_Ever since...that day..she had felt so strange. Like a tight feeling in her chest. Seeing her reflection in the glass window, she could see that her cheeks were flushed. But she wasn't sick..didn't feel ill. All of this, it had started that day on Orb...that day when he'd kissed her on the bridge of the Archangel. Ever since then, she had been feeling like this. Like something was building up inside her heart. Just thinking about that moment on the bridge..it made her heart thump as though she'd run a race, and her chest tighten even more. And what was worse...she had no idea why she was feeling like this.  
_Is it really...what I'm worried it is? Do I really feel that way about him?_

When he had left at Alaska, leaving her standing there in tears..it had hurt so much. If anyone had asked her right then if she loved him, she would have said 'yes'. But now...was she so sure? What did she feel when she thought about him?  
Happiness, certainly. When he had kissed her..it had felt wonderful. His arms around her, his lips on hers...it had sent tingles all through her body, as well as a warm feeling she hadn't experienced in a long time. A small smile appeared on her lips as she thought of it. _I won't deny it...he's a great kisser._

_  
_She sighed, the smile disappearing. Yes, she was happy. Happy that he felt so strongly about her. But at the same time, other emotions were mixed with that happiness. Like guilt, and fear. It had only been a year or so since _he_ had died, after all. She had loved him so much, and it had broken her heart when he'd been killed. The pain..it had been so intense, she'd decided...that she'd never wanted to fall in love again, to be with anyone again. That, coupled with the fear she felt now about the war...was all this worth it?  
Murrue sighed. She was full of so many mixed emotions...which one was strongest?

"Oh, here you are.." She knew that voice. Turning to the open doorway leading to the silent corridor, she saw him standing there, leaning on the doorframe. Mwu's face wore it's usual smile, sunny and warm. The gentle expression made Murrue's heart flutter, and she looked away, red stealing onto her cheeks once more. "W-what is it, Commander?" she asked, hating how her voice stuttered. He laughed, the merry chuckle echoing around the quiet room. "It's nothing, really.." he said, walking up to where she was standing. "Did...were you...looking for me?" Murrue asked, attention focused on the ship beyond the glass. The Commander - Mwu - blinked in surprise, then the warm smile returned. "Actually..I guess that I was."

The auburn-haired woman's lips twitched for a second, then the habitual worried expression descended on her face again. Mwu placed a hand on her shoulder. "Hey now, what's wrong?" he asked. "You look..scared."  
Murrue glanced up at him, amber eyes reflecting fear. "I am. About the war, about...lots of things." She looked away again. He smiled softly again, understanding her concern. "I see." was all he said. Murrue, hearing something in his voice, frowned. "It's just...is this such a good idea? What..what if?..."  
Mwu reached out and gently laid a finger on her lips. "Don't. Don't start asking 'what if'. No-one can answer that. All we can do is live as we have been doing. If we always worried about 'what if', we'd never get anywhere. I know that this is war, and no-one can predict what'll happen next."

He sighed, and moved his arm so it was wrapped around her shoulder. "If you want to call this off, I'll understand. But it won't change how I feel about you. Nothing will. I'm scared too sometimes, about the war. Everyone is. But you can't let fear keep you from happiness..."  
Murrue glanced up at him again, seeing the sincerity in his deep blue eyes. What did she do? What did she want? Why couldn't she decide? _Do I pretend nothing happened? Ignore how I feel? How **do** I feel?_

_  
_Mwu, seeing her confusion, only smiled..and she could see his feelings very clearly. Could see the happiness there, his happiness at being with her. The smile made her blush again, and her heart skipped. Moving closer, she studied his features, his handsome face. She couldn't deny that being around him made her feel safe, protected, happy. But what else?  
He gently took her hand, and pulled her against him in a hug, wrapping his arms tightly around her. Slowly, the tension Murrue had been feeling died away, to be replaced by a warm, comforted happiness. Closing her eyes, she hugged him back, resting her head against his chest. This feeling..she wanted to experience this forever...never wanted to leave his embrace. She smiled.  
_Isn't that love?  
_--------------------------------------------------------------------------  
( Hmmm. I'm not sure where that came from. I wanted to write about what people feel when they realise they're in love. Not having ever felt that way myself, I don't know if I got it right. I hope I didn't screw it up.  
Please read and review! )


	74. Stranger

"Why?"

Kira turned his head to the left, wincing a little at the pain that caused. "Why what?" he asked. The man in the opposite bed was sitting up, leaning against the wall. His dark blue eyes were focused on the far wall, his scarred face wearing an annoyed and confused expression. Hearing the boy's reply, the man - Mwu-san - turned to him.

"Why did you bring me here?" was his reply. He was scowling, angry, the look a complete contrast to the cheerful and open smile that Kira remembered so well. "They say..some of the guards, I mean...that you were the one who brought me here. You're - _were_ - that Freedom's pilot. You're the one who shot me down. Why did you bother bringing me here?" he continued.

Kira smiled a little. "Because I wanted to send you back to where you belong. I didn't bring you here, Murrue-san did. I just sent you to where she'd find you, that's all. I wanted...to send you back to her."

Mwu-san rolled his eyes, gesturing to his restraints. "For this? Considering you guys think I'm someone else, you certainly seem to be treating me like a prisoner..."

"If we were.." Kira spoke up, "don't you think that you'd be in the brig rather than sickbay? Murrue-san kept you here because she didn't want to lock you up..couldn't bring herself to. It would hurt her too much." Mwu-san just sighed, slumping against the wall. "There you go again...when will you all stop treating me like I'm someone else? I'm not who you all think I am."

"But you are." replied Kira, certainty in his voice. "You _are_ Mwu-san..you just don't remember, that's all." The man groaned in frustration, lying down with his back to Kira. A mutter came from him that sounded very much like "Whatever..."

After a few minutes, he spoke up again, unable to hide the curiosity in his voice. "So..this other guy, this 'Mwu'. Who was he, anyway?"

Kira grinned. _Curious despite himself.._

"You were...**are**, a famous mobile armour pilot, they called you the Hawk of Endymion. You're a friend, a part of this crew. That's another reason why I wanted to send you back here."

Mwu-san laughed, the sound a harsh, sardonic bark. "But I'm not him, am I? You've brought me here, hoping that I'll suddenly become this other person. But you should have left me where I was.." Then a thought seemed to occur to him. "You say...that you sent me back here because of that woman, that pretty one with the dark hair?" he asked, an odd light in his blue eyes.

_This kid..he sent me back here because of that woman..the one who cried when she saw me..this ship's captain...why?_

The boy - Kira, hadn't they called him? - nodded. "It broke Murrue-san's heart when she thought that you died. I hoped that it would make her happy again.."

Neo raised an eyebrow, slightly incredulous and amused smile on his face. "This 'Mwu' is meant to be dead? Then why the hell are you all convinced I'm him?" The kid looked surprised, then smiled ruefully, tapping his chest. "It's your heart." he replied simply. "Your heart..it's still the same as it was before...Mwu-san's heart."

Neo laughed again. "And how could it be? Do I have the heart of a dead man, or did he somehow magically survive and become me? You're not making any sense. My heart is my own, no-one else's." The boy looked away at that, disappointment on his young face. "That's not what I meant, Mwu-san. I meant that...I could _tell_, somehow, that it was you, that you were there...alive. " He sighed, seeming to give up, the wind of certainty knocked from his sails. Neo was about to celebrate his victory, _finally, this kid's got the message..._ when he suddenly spoke up again, curiosity in those strange violet eyes.

"Tell me, what do you think of Murrue-san?"

Neo blinked. That hadn't been what he'd expected to hear. "Your captain? She seems like a nice enough person, for my jailer. Kind, but sad. And definitely a looker." That was the one good thing about his imprisonment here on this ship, the fact that it's captain was easily the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. Even if she did think that he was someone else...

The Kira kid smiled, looking happy for the first time since their conversation had begun. "You think so?"

Neo nodded. "Yeah. She's beautiful. It's a shame she doesn't smile...at least, not when she talks to me..." _But then again, why would she? And what difference would it make if she did?_

The boy's shoulders seemed to slump at that. "It's my fault. My fault that she doesn't smile. She used to...before I brought you here. But now, you - everything, really - remind her."

"Remind her of what?" He could guess, really, but he wanted to hear this kid say it himself. _Or do I? Do I want to know?_

"Of how much she missed you." Kira said. "And how much she still loves you..with all that she has. Even after two years..she still feels the same. That's why I sent you back...so she would smile again, be happy again. But things...didn't turn out how I hoped. I just made her sadder.."

Neo looked at the ceiling, a strange feeling in his heart. Sometimes, when he looked at the people here, the captain, especially, he felt happy, like he belonged. But other times...he felt like he did now. Angry, confused, frustrated. _What am I supposed to feel? There's no way that I've been here before, I know that. But sometimes, it feels as though I belong here. And that this captain means the whole world to me. But that can't be right. I'm not this other person. I'm Neo. Neo Lorrnoke of the Earth Alliance._

"I can understand why," he said finally, fixing his gaze on the ceiling. "But that really has nothing to do with me. She..your captain, is my enemy, as are you. This ship, everything in it..it's all strange to me."

"Do you wish things were different?" asked the boy, still staring at him. "That we...that Murrue-san wasn't your enemy? That you knew who she was?"

Neo thought for a moment. Did he? Did he wish that he was this other person? No. But did he wish that he knew the captain, that she would look at him rather than through him, those eyes of hers filled with happiness?

Deep down? Yes. But that would never happen. It was just a fantasy. She loved the person she thought he was, who he could never be.

"Actually, yes." he answered. "But then again, kid, I wish a _lot_ of things were different. Mainly that I wasn't in this dumb place."

"I'm sorry you feel that way.." replied Kira. "Because I think..that even though Murrue-san is sad that you don't remember her, she's also happy. Because you're here...you're alive."

Neo shook his head. _This kid's never going to accept that I'm not who he wants me to be. I can't become this other person, I was brought here just because I look like him, or something. Because I look like someone his captain loved..._

That strange feeling was back again. The captain loved who he looked like, not _him_. That made sense. That emotion in her eyes..it wasn't for him..it was for a ghost. Someone who was dead. So why did it hurt? Why did he, deep down, wish that she would look at _him_, not the person she thought he was? That she would smile at him, those odd amber eyes of hers creasing with the gentle expression, shining with love and happiness?

_It feels like she's smiled at me like that before. But I know that's not true. What is this place doing to me?_

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( That's...kind of weird. But it was just a random idea I came up with. I don't think it's that well written, but I intended it to be a sort of companion fic to 'Debt'.

Please read and review, okay? I want to know what people think... )


	75. Reason

I wrote this as kind of an alternate version to 'Isshoni'. In all the reunion fics I've read, including the one I wrote myself, Murrue-san always comes down to the hangar bay to find Mwu. But what if she wasn't able to? Wouldn't he go and find her instead?

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Everywhere he looked, he could see technicians. They were running about, here and there, and from his vantage point in the Akatsuki, it looked as though someone had kicked over an ant's nest. But there was no-one else. Only a few Murasame pilots..._she_ wasn't there. Sighing, he opened the door of the golden mobile suit, and floated to the deck below, pulling off his helmet. He had thought for sure...that she would be here, that she would have come to meet him.. Ever since he'd recovered his memories..since the war had ended, he'd wanted to see her. To tell her that he'd kept his promise..and that he wouldn't leave her again. But she wasn't here. Why?

Floating into the locker room, Mwu stripped off the purple pilot suit he wore, changing back into the Orb uniform. It felt right now..to be wearing this, rather than the old Alliance uniform. What _had_ he been thinking?

_I didn't know, though. Didn't remember what they pulled on us back in the last war. If I had...I'd never have stayed with them...never have left her side._

Going back out into the hangar, Mwu called to Murdoch. "Hey, Chief! Did Murrue come down here?"

The scruffy technician shook his head. "No, the Captain's still on the bridge..she has to be, 'cause we're heading to PLANT..." His voice trailed off, and he stared at Mwu in surprise. "You called her by her first name..." He studied the blonde man for a moment. He was...acting differently. Before..in the last few days when he'd been checking over Akatsuki, Murdoch had found time to speak with him. The Colonel had been polite and friendly, but he never spoke much, was kind of distant. The only person he'd ever been comfortable around was the Captain. But now..something seemed different. The Colonel now gave off an air of confidence..was smiling. It was like he was...Murdoch grinned. "I see. Well, I'm sure she'll be waiting for you.._Commander..._" The blonde man grinned back, waving a finger. "Ah, I'm still a Colonel, you know.." Laughing, he turned and left the hangar. Murdoch shook his head, not understanding, but glad that his friend was back to the way he remembered.

On his way to the bridge, Mwu looked around himself. Everything was so familiar now..every bend in the corridor brought back a memory. They all swirled around in his mind, mixing with ones from the last two years, mixing with those from the distant past...it gave him a slight headache. So much to remember..so much he'd been missing. But of all the memories he had..the ones of _her_ were the most important. Now he had another chance..he would do things right this time.

_But what if things have changed while I was away? I thought that we would be able to pick up where we left off..but what if we can't? What if she moved on? She thought that I was dead..I couldn't blame her if she'd moved on with her life..found someone else.._

Murrue had always shown him kindness while he was Neo. Treated him as a friend. Was that..was that all she felt for him now? Placing a hand to his chest, Mwu frowned at the pain those thoughts caused. He loved Murrue...but did she still love _him_?

Reaching the bridge, he looked around. But Murrue wasn't there. Her seat, the captain's chair...it was empty. She hadn't come down to find him..hadn't waited for him. The girl Miriallia looked up from her CIC position, and smiled. "Welcome back! The Captain..she's in her office." The girl's smile grew sly, knowing. "She's waiting for you.."

Leaving the bridge, Mwu made his way down the silent grey corridors, until he reached the captain's office. Taking a deep breath to calm his racing heart, he knocked on the door.

"Come in!" called a soft voice from the room beyond. The metal door slid open smoothly..and there she was. Murrue was sitting behind her desk, paperwork in front of her. She looked tired, face pale and drawn. But when she saw him, that face lit up in a beautiful smile, amber eyes widening. Standing up, she made her way towards where Mwu had entered the room, the door closing behind him. Very slowly, she reached up, brushing her thin fingers against his cheek. "I hoped..that you would come here. I didn't want to..not in the hangar..I guess I was nervous.." She laughed softly and looked away, a blush creeping onto her cheeks.

When she looked back, there were tears in her eyes. "Are you really...did you really..." she whispered, still in disbelief. Mwu smiled, leaning into her touch. "It's me, Murrue.." he said gently.

Her tears overflowed, and she almost ran the short distance between them, embracing him, arms wrapped tightly around him. "I had dreams like this so many times..that you came back, that you were here with me. I missed you..so much!" She rested her head on his chest, seemingly content to listen to his heartbeat, and Mwu closed his eyes, breathing in the familiar scent of roses from her hair, the scent he loved.

"Thank you.." Murrue whispered. "You did keep your promise after all. I waited for you...waited until I'd see you again." Mwu looked down at her in surprise. "You waited? For me? You didn't find anyone else?"

She smiled, nestling closer. "Silly. Why do you think I was so sad when you didn't remember me? There's no-one else...could never be anyone else." Her tears soaked into the fabric of his uniform, and he tilted her chin up to look into her eyes. "I'm sorry.." he said, wrapping his arms around her. "I made you cry so much..and now you're crying again..." But Murrue shook her head. "No. These tears..are because I'm happy. Because you came back to me. I never thought...never even imagined anything like this could happen." Her eyes softened with a beautiful smile. "You won't leave me again, will you?"

"Of course not. Why would I?" he said with a smile of his own. She sighed at that, the sound one of contentment. Then she looked up at him again, her eyes twinkling. She seemed to be waiting for something...but what?

"What is it?" he asked, chuckling. Murrue just smiled. "I want to hear you say it..dreamt of you saying it.."

Getting the message, Mwu grinned, and leaned down until his face was inches from hers. "I love you, Murrue." Her tears began to fall again, she reaching up to stroke his face again. "I love you too..." Taking his face in her hands, she stood on her tiptoes, and kissed him passionately, her eyes closing. Mwu's eyes also closed, he wrapping his arms more firmly around his captain.

_Now..I'm home again.._

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( wheeeeeeeeeee! I went for a more subtle approach this time...

Please read and review! )


	76. Rain

( This is based on two fanarts, both of which are frighteningly cute. I hope you like it! )

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The sun shone lazily through a bank of thin cloud, sending pale streams of light to the ground below. It streamed through the trees of a large garden, casting it's warmth on the woman who worked there. Springtime had come to the garden, causing trees to blossom, their petals blown on the wind in a multicoloured dance. The myriad flowers in this garden were beginning to bud, petals unfurling in every corner, nook and cranny. The woman leaned back on her knees and smiled happily, brushing a lock of auburn hair from her face. Seedling flowers stood all about her in pots, waiting to be planted in the soil. As she looked around her, the woman sighed as the warm spring breeze swirled around her.

_One year...one year since the end of the war. And so much has changed..._

Murrue picked up the chain from around her neck, twisting the silver links between her fingers, watching her engagement and wedding rings sparkle in the hazy sunlight. She had threaded the rings through her necklace so they wouldn't get lost or dirty while she was working. They were too important to risk.. Looking down, her smile increased as she laid a hand on her swollen stomach. In only six months, she had become a wife...and would soon be a mother.

_Is this really me? Am I really here? Sometimes I wonder..if this is real. If I'm not asleep and dreaming...if I won't wake up, and be alone again..._

Stretching out, Murrue leaned down again, over the earth, turning over the damp soil to make it ready for planting. Behind her, in the spaces where she had already laid seedlings, the digging had turned up several worms and insects, and that in turn had brought the birds. They fluttered down to alight on the clods of earth, pecking at the ground. Murrue turned around to watch them, giggling softly as she watched a robin and a sparrow squabble over a large earthworm. Being bigger, and a little more stubborn, the robin eventually won the battle, carrying the worm off triumphantly, even though it was longer than the bird himself. As she watched the birds, it began to rain, a fine, light drizzle that hissed through the trees. The rain made the earth and plants smell fresh, and coated everything around in a mist. At the far side of her garden, Murrue could see the roses, several different colours and types, all beginning to bloom, the raindrops glistening from their petals. Mwu had planted those roses for her, saying how much the flowers reminded him of her. He knew that they were her favourite, and he'd said that if it made her happy, she could have as many of them as she liked. Then he'd laughed, saying that they could never be as beautiful as she was...which had made her blush fiercely.

_He always does that...embarrasses me like that. He can be such an idiot..._

But then again..it was nice to know that he thought of her like that. It made her heart race, and always brought a smile to her face. And without telling him, she'd also planted flowers that reminded her of _him_. The cornflowers waved gently in the breeze, standing in a small hollow under a tree, the blue of the blossoms echoing Mwu's eyes.

_If he knew..he'd laugh at me..._ Tipping her head back, Murrue smiled as the fine rain fell onto her face. This was the only time of year rain like this fell. In the monsoon season..it was far too fierce to spend any time outside in. Rubbing the droplets from her face, she leaned over again, setting a pink carnation gently into the ground. It was almost lunchtime, and she was certainly hungry, but that could wait until she'd finished. Only a few more plants left...

She'd almost finished, smiling in satisfaction at the neat row of seedlings, when her baby suddenly started getting restless, kicking and squirming. Wincing slightly, she pressed a hand to her stomach.

"Okay, okay, I get it. If mommy gets hungry, then baby gets hungry too.." Getting to her feet with difficulty, Murrue made her way back inside the house, running her hands through her dark hair to shake the raindrops away. She stood at the table, fixing herself a sandwich, then sat down heavily on one of the wooden chairs, rubbing her stomach.

"Little troublemaker... You're not even born yet, and already you're making sure we know you're here. You're always hungry, just like your daddy.."

"I am _not_ always hungry!" came a familiar voice from behind her. Without turning around, Murrue giggled at the indignant tone of that voice. "You aren't?" she asked innocently. "Could have fooled me. I bet you're hungry now.."

"Yeah, well..." came Mwu's voice, this time closer, his breath tickling her ear, "it's lunchtime.." His arms wrapped around her, and she smiled, reaching up behind her to tangle her fingers in his long blonde hair. "Hi.." she whispered. "Had a good morning?"

Her husband laughed a little, and nuzzled into her neck. "It wasn't bad. But I bet my afternoon will be better.." He nuzzled closer, kissing her neck and making her giggle...then he pulled away. "Hey!" he said, coming around to her front and kneeling down. "You're all wet!" He was frowning a little. "You've been outside?"

Murrue nodded. "I was gardening." Mwu sighed. "And you didn't think to come inside when it started raining? You'll get sick..."

He stood up and took her hand, gently pulling her out of the chair. "Go get some dry clothes on. You'll catch cold." Murrue didn't reply, instead wrapping her arms around him, snuggling close with a happy noise.

The blonde man chuckled. "That won't do you any good. Go get changed..."

After Murrue had changed into dry clothes, and dried her hair, she walked back downstairs to see him sitting there on the sofa, enjoying a ham sandwich. Sneaking up behind him, she hugged him from behind, kissing him on the cheek. Mwu laughed. "Someone's affectionate today, huh?" he asked, drawing a giggle from his wife. "It's been a good morning.." she replied, kissing him again. "Would you like some coffee?"

At his nod, she moved over to the kitchen worktop, preparing the mugs for the hot beverage. Humming slightly to herself, she was about to add the boiling water to the granules...then leaned forward suddenly, as the baby kicked violently. Wincing, she tried to contain her gasp of pain..but to no avail. Mwu heard her, and was by her side in an instant.

"You okay, sweetheart? What is it?"

Murrue shook her head. "Nothing...it's nothing.." But he wasn't buying that for an instant. His blue eyes were filled with concern, and she looked away, hating to see him worry about her. "It really is okay. He just kicked a bit too strong this time, that's all.."

Sighing with relief, Mwu hugged her. "As long as that's all it is..." He placed a hand on her stomach, and grinned as their child kicked again, mercifully more lightly this time. "Tough kid..." he mused. Taking his wife's hand, he led her back to the sofa. "Here. You sit there, and _I'll_ make the coffee, okay?" Murrue looked up at him, gratitude in those amber eyes of hers.

As he made the coffee, Mwu stared out of the kitchen window at the still-falling rain. With each week that passed, Murrue was in a little more discomfort. She was so slender, the baby often made things difficult for her, and he couldn't help but feel guilty.

_Even though this was what we both wanted..it still makes me feel bad. Especially since there isn't much I can do to make her feel better..._

Pouring the coffee, he carried the two mugs of steaming liquid into the sitting room..then laughed softly. Murrue was curled up on the sofa, head on the arm rest, fast asleep. A small smile was on her face, and her dark hair spilled over the side of her makeshift pillow. Setting the drinks down on the little table, Mwu sat down on the sofa, gently lifting Murrue so she was laying down, her head resting on his lap. Pulling the soft blanket from the back of the armchair, he tucked it around her, brushing a lock of her hair from her face with his fingertips, trying not to wake her. She murmured something, and snuggled closer, her smile growing. Leaning down, Mwu kissed her cheek gently.

"Sweet dreams, princess. Get all the sleep you want..you need it. And I'll be right here when you wake up..."

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( Today...was a story about nothing much at all. Lmao. But I liked writing it. I may have messed with the geography slightly, as I think the seasons are different in sub-tropical countries like Orb. And the birds definitely are. But...meh.

Please read and review! )


	77. Candlelight: Part One

The little red car sped along the quiet roads towards the shores of Orb. The sun was setting, painting the skies shades of red, orange, and pink, seeming to set the sea ablaze. Up ahead, just off the side of the coastal road, a tiny wooden house stood on the beach, facing out over the ocean.

"Here we are. You got everything?" asked Mwu, glancing across at his wife. Murrue rooted around in the small overnight bag, checking the contents carefully. Food, clothes, toys, other items..everything was there. Looking back up at Mwu, she nodded. "Yeah, it's all here. And even if we had forgotten something, I'm sure that Lacus-san would have it anyway..." The car drew up outside the wooden beach house, and a second later, a swarm of small children flooded out from inside the structure, followed by a pretty young woman with candyfloss-pink hair. "Murrue-san, Fllaga-san! Good evening!" she called, her soft voice carrying on the wind. Murrue smiled, getting out of the car and reaching into the back seat. Very carefully, she extracted the vehicle's other passenger from the car seat, cradling them in her arms. Baby Stellar was fast asleep, little rosy cheeks flushed in her slumber. Kissing her daughter gently, trying not to wake her up, Murrue handed her to Lacus, as well as the overnight bag. The fifteen-month-old child never stirred.

"Goodnight, sweetie. We'll be back tomorrow, okay?" Murrue whispered to her baby, even though she knew Stellar couldn't hear her.

Lacus smiled. "Kira and I will take good care of her, I promise.."

As they drove away, Murrue found herself looking back at the house. She knew that Stellar would be well looked after, but still...She sighed. Mwu looked across at her, then smiled, placing a hand over hers. "It'll be fine, honey. The munchkin probably won't even notice we've gone. And you know the kid and the princess will look out for her. Now relax. This is our night, remember?"

The car made it's way through the city, until it reached a huge hotel complex on the far outskirts, the gleaming white face of the building almost dazzling in the floodlights and moonlight surrounding it. Fountains sent their jets of water spraying in elaborate dances, and the well-cared for garden was filled with couples enjoying the warm night air.

And if the exterior of the hotel had been impressive..the interior was even more so. Crystal chandeliers lit up the huge lobby, the metalwork of the fittings a rich gold. The floor was paved with smooth white marble, and all along the walls, porters waited to escort guests to their rooms, their uniforms neat and pressed.

"This place is amazing.." whispered Murrue, fingers holding on to Mwu's arm. "Are we...do we look all right?" Mwu glanced down at her. Her dark hair was twisted up into a clip, and she wore a dress of pale pink silk, with matching shawl. She looked incredible, and he told her so, grinning when she blushed. "And what about me?" he asked, gesturing to his neatly brushed hair, and the tie he wore over a white dress shirt, complete with black trousers. "Do I look okay?"

"You look very handsome.." Murrue reassured him, taking hold of his hand. "So, where do we go? Through there?" Up ahead was the hotel restaurant, the tables covered with snow-white linen, and set with the finest crockery.

"That's right.." said Mwu, leading her into the room. After a few words with the waiter, the pair were soon seated at a table with a fine view of the hotel gardens, the night-blooming flowers sending their scent into the air. Murrue looked around her, amber eyes wide with awe. "This is wonderful...how did you plan all this?" Her husband laughed softly, taking her hand. "It took quite a while. But it was worth it, don't you think?"

Nodding, she stared out of the windows again. "What's for dinner?" she asked, a small smile quirking her lips as she sniffed the air. "I can smell tomatoes..and garlic..is it Italian?"

Mwu grinned. "Sure is. Tonight's special is some kind of spaghetti, I think."

Murrue turned back to face him, one eyebrow raised. "Oh? Let me tell you this now, mister. If you have anything with garlic in, you can forget any 'romantic' plans you might have for later, understand?" Mwu's face fell for an instant, then he sighed, nodding. "All right, dear. Whatever you say..." Murrue giggled at his dejected expression, then smiled politely at the waiter who had come to pour them a glass of red wine each. "Oh, thank you.."

The waiter nodded. "You're welcome, madam. Dinner will be served shortly..."

The meal was perfect. The spaghetti was perfectly cooked, and the sauce just the right balance of tomato and basil. The couple ate quietly, not speaking much, just enjoying their meal, and the fact that they had this night out together. The restaurant was quiet, the other patrons just as muted as Mwu and Murrue themselves.

"Do they get many customers?" whispered Murrue, taking a sip of her wine. Mwu shrugged. "Doesn't seem that way. I was told that since this place mostly caters for tourists, they don't get many people from the city here."

"That's a shame.." mused the auburn-haired woman, her tawny eyes reflecting the candlelight. "It's so beautiful here..."

Her husband chuckled quietly. "You're right.." He stared at Murrue for several minutes, breath catching in his throat at the sight of the candle flames flickering in the depths of her eyes, they seeming to make the dark amber almost molten. After a moment, she looked up and caught him staring, the intense blue of his eyes almost more than she could bear. "W-what is it?" she asked, pink creeping onto her cheeks.

"Nothing. Just thinking that this place is almost as beautiful as you are.." he said gently, grinning as her blush deepened.

"S-stop that, Mwu...you're being silly..." she muttered, looking down, and fiddling with her napkin. But she couldn't help smiling. She glanced up at him shyly through her eyelashes. "Thank you for tonight..it's been wonderful..." she said. Mwu smiled again. "You're welcome. But it's not over yet, you know.."

"What?"

He laughed. "I booked a suite here for us. Tonight is just for us...and I thought a different setting might make it more romantic. What do you think?"

His wife stared for a moment..then her face lit up in a huge smile. "Really?" Mwu took her hand, caressing her fingers gently. "Really." he confirmed.

"It _is_ our anniversary, after all..."

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( I decided to make this a two parter, so the next bit will be up tomorrow. And no, it won't be teh smut, either. Maybe limeish, but nothing more than that.

Please read and review! )


	78. Candlelight: Part Two

( Part two! )

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After their dinner, Mwu and Murrue made their way out of the still-quiet restaurant, quietly thanking the staff for an excellent meal. Hands entwined, the couple made their way across the polished marble floor of the hotel lobby, and to the reception desk. The desk was tall, almost up to Murrue's chest height, and the shining wood reflected the light from the chandeliers. The woman behind the deak smiled cheerfully at them. "Good evening. Do you have a reservation?" In reply, Mwu handed her the form he had been given when he booked the room. The receptionist checked it over, then smiled again. "Everything's in order." Reaching behind her into a network of wooden cubby-holes, she pulled out a brass key. "Here you are, sir. The lift in the far corner will take you to your floor. Enjoy your stay!"

The lift was small, and made almost entirely of thick glass, save for the marbled floor. The glass walls offered a wonderful view of the landscaped hotel grounds, and the lights of the city twinkling beyond. Murrue walked to the transparent walls, and placed her hands on the glass, amber eyes widening. "It's so beautiful.." she whispered. Turning to Mwu, she smiled. "So...what will our room be like?"

He laughed. "I have no idea. But I do know that it has a balcony. And that we can call for room service.."

Murrue giggled, as the lift chimed, reaching their floor. "We ordering champagne or something?" Her husband didn't answer, instead, taking her hand and leading her out into the hotel corridor. The hallway was long, stretching almost as far as the eye could see. Silently, the pair made their way down the carpeted corridor, stopping outside a door halfway down.

"Here we are, " Mwu announced, taking the key from his pocket and opening the door. The room beyond wasn't too large, but it was stately and luxurious. A large, ornate bed stood against the far wall, it's soft surface covered with cream sheets, and piled high with pillows. The only other furniture visible was a dresser against the wall opposite. But then again...they didn't need anything else. Letting go of Mwu's hand, Murrue stepped forward, and pushed open a small door to the right.

Beyond was a small bathroom, covered with tiles of black and white. Despite it's size, it had all the features you'd expect, including...

"Mwu, look at this!" she called softly. Joining her in the small room, her husband whistled, impressed. As well as a shower, this room also contained a large (very large) bathtub, a heavy, old fashioned kind with clawed feet. Murrue and Mwu looked at each other...and grinned.

"Do you think that this is big enough for two?" the woman asked, her smile becoming rather sly. In reply, Mwu reached out and set the taps running, sending warm water cascading into the white enamel tub. Then he slipped his arms around his wife, gently unzipping the pink silk dress that she wore, letting the shimmering fabric fall to the tiled floor. "I think.." he said, grinning as she began to unbutton his dress shirt, "that we'll soon find out. Don't you?" As he spoke, his face moved closer to hers, until Murrue could feel his breath warm on her face. His hands slowly moved up her back, sending a shiver through her.

"Yes.." she whispered, closing her eyes. "I think that we will..."

An hour later, Murrue stood on the room's balcony, thin fingers wrapped around a glass of something strong and electric blue from the minibar. She was clad in a towelling robe provided by the hotel, and the light breeze stirred her damp hair. That bath had been a lot of fun..even though it had been rather a tight squeeze...and they _had_ got a lot of water on the floor. She smiled as she thought of it.

"Did you enjoy that?" came Mwu's voice from inside the room. He too held a glass from the minibar, his tanned cheeks flushed from both the strength of the alcohol, and the warmth of the bathwater. Murrue turned to him, and smiled again, the expression fond and loving. "Of course I did. Even if there wasn't _quite _enough room for both of us."

He chuckled, joining her on the balcony. "That's true. But you didn't seem to mind sitting on my lap..." Murrue didn't answer that, only looked at the floor, a bright pink blush to her cheeks. Mwu smiled gently, taking her into his arms. Even after two years of marriage...she still blushed so easily...it was adorable.

"You're still shy after all this time.." he muttered, her hair tickling his lips. His wife laughed a little, resting her head on his shoulder. "Well..when you say things like that, what do you expect?"

Turning around in his arms, she looked out at the scene beyond the iron railings of the balcony. This place offered a spectacular view of the ocean, the breakers curling onto a beach turned silver in the moonlight. Across the bay, on the top of a cliff, a lighthouse stood, the thick beams of light sweeping over the dark waters. The beauty of the scene made the pair fall silent for a while, until Murrue tilted her head to look up at Mwu. He was staring out over the sea, the starlight reflecting in his dark blue eyes. He glanced down after a while, and smiled, leaning down to kiss her lightly.

"So.." he asked, "what would you like to do next?" Murrue giggled. "I'll tell you what," she replied. "Since taking that bath was my idea, this time _you_ get to choose. So what would you like to do?"

Mwu seemed to think for a moment, then bent and lifted her up in his arms. Kicking closed the balcony door, he carried her over to the bed and placed her on the pillows. "Can you guess?" he asked, smirking. Very gently, he undid the robe she wore, then laid down on the soft sheets beside her. Murrue reached up and brushed aside a lock of his dirty-blonde hair, which was still damp from their bath. "It doesn't feel like two years..does it?" she asked gently, amber eyes softening with her smile.

"Not really," Mwu admitted, leaning down and nuzzling at her neck, nibbling at the smooth skin. He grinned at her gasp as his hands began to caress her slowly.

"Happy anniversary anyway..."

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( Zere ve go. Hint of lime. Lmao

Please read and review! )


	79. Responsibility

The sun shone brightly down upon the small island country, the brilliance of it only muted by thin, cotton-wool clouds chased across the sky by a cool sea breeze. The sun shone down on a large battleship, moored safely in a dry dock, and upon a lone figure standing on this ship's upper deck. The figure sighed as the light breaths of wind blew back strands of her dark auburn hair, and she leaned on the ship's railing, looking out to sea. The battle yesterday...even though they had all known that the Earth Alliance would have come to attack Orb eventually, they couldn't help but feel that the presence of the _Archangel_ had drawn them here that little bit faster.

_And now...we have to leave. To go into space to continue our fight. I..don't want to leave, really. I wish that we could stay here, find peace here. After all...we can never go home again. We burned our bridges..._

Had they made the right decision? Had **she**? Deep down, Murrue wasn't sure. She'd taken responsibility for the whole ship, for them deserting from the Alliance. But did she have that right? To make that decision for everyone? They all followed her, save for a few exceptions, when she offered the _Archangel_'s services to Orb, but still...

"What's wrong?"

Turning around a little, Murrue saw a tall figure, half-shadowed by the doorway he stood in. His eyes were trained on her, their blueness reflecting the colour of the sky. Smiling a little, Murrue shook her head. "It's nothing. I just came up here to think, that's all..." Turning away again, she wasn't surprised to hear his footsteps approaching. He could always tell, somehow, when she was worried about something, and could see clearly when she was trying to hide something. "It isn't 'nothing', though, is it? And it's always a bad sign when you go off on your own to think, instead of talking to someone." he said, placing a hand lightly on her shoulder.

At his touch, Murrue's amber eyes widened a fraction. Mwu saw her reaction, and smiled. "It's okay." he said softly. "Don't worry. It'll all be okay..."

She smiled a little. "How can you tell?"

"Because _I'm_ here, that's why."

She turned around a little, looking up at him. His smile was kind and caring, and Murrue felt her cheeks begin to grow warm. He always did his best to reassure her, even when things seemed hopeless. It felt...nice, to have someone like that as a friend, someone was right there with her, trying to make things easier. And yesterday...he'd let her know in no uncertain terms...that he wanted to be more than friends...

_It would be wonderful..to just let go. To depend on him completely. But I can't do that. I never know what might happen. If I just depend on him..and something happens to him...then what?_

"You always know, don't you? When I'm worried. But what about you? Don't _you_ ever get worried?" she asked, focusing out to sea again. Mwu blinked, then laughed a little. "Sure I do." he replied. "I worry about all kinds of stuff..." Murrue smiled. "That sounds strange. You don't strike me as someone who worries about anything."

"Everyone worries." he said solemnly. Slowly, he wrapped a strong arm around her waist, and pulled her closer to him. Murrue gasped, momentarily shocked at this sudden affection, then sighed, leaning back against him. No matter how fleeting it might be, it was always nice to be comforted. "But the point is, " Mwu continued, "that not everyone worries alone. You know what I worry about most? You."

She tilted her head to stare at him in surprise. "Me?" she asked. He nodded, wrapping his other arm about her shoulders from behind, so she was pulled further into his embrace. Murrue hesitated a moment, then moved her hands so they held onto his arm.

"You always worry...about everything. The ship, the crew, the war...you try and carry that burden all by yourself. Why won't you let anyone help you?"

She looked down, pain in those haunting eyes. "Because I'm the captain. It's _my_ responsibility."

"But not _only _yours." he reminded her. "Taking care of the ship, making sure the crew is safe..that's as much everyone else's job as it is your own, and you know it.. You can't do all this alone. Besides, if you take care of everything else, who takes care of you?"

Murrue turned around a little in his arms, looking up at him curiously. Mwu smiled, leaning down and nuzzling her cheek.

"You aren't alone, you know. Why don't you let someone be there for you?" he asked, closing his eyes as her scent surrounded him. "Someone...who cares about you?" he finished quietly.

She gasped, looking down at her feet as the blush crept onto her face. "But..how can you say that you'll always be there for me?" she asked, her grip on his arm tightening. Mwu opened his eyes again. "I can't. You know that." he replied. "But as long as I _can_ be here for you, then I will be."

He hugged her a little tighter, enjoying being close to her. "If the captain really must worry so much, and always take care of her ship and crew, then someone has to take care of the captain, don't you think? To make sure she doesn't do too much, to help her relax once in a while..."

Murrue smiled, looking back into his eyes. "And you'll do that? Take care of me?"

"Of course I will." he said simply. "I couldn't think of anything I'd like better." Leaning in closer, he very gently placed a kiss on her lips, the exchange deepening as her eyes fluttered closed, and she pushed up closer to him. The kiss seemed to last forever, she eventually turning around in his arms, and wrapping her own around his neck.

_Maybe he's right...maybe I **do** need someone to take care of me..._

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( hehehehehehe XD

Please read and review! )


	80. Forgotten

( I decided to write a prequel of sorts to my earlier story 'Hospital'. So here we go! )

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It was early morning, the sun barely peeking over the horizon. The world was shades of purple and grey, the dew still wet on the flowers in the garden. The small red car sped along the quiet roads, very few other cars visible at this early hour. The car turned a corner and disappeared down a small dirt track, eventually approaching a tiny wooden house by the seashore. Outside this house, a dark-haired woman waited, mug of coffee clutched in her hand. As the red vehicle came to a halt, the passenger door opened, and a young woman climbed out, reaching over into the backseat to unstrap a child.

"Good morning, Murrue-san.." said the dark-haired woman kindly. The younger female smiled, standing up from the car with the child in her arms. "Good morning, Yamato-san. I'm so sorry to call you like this so early..." Caridad Yamato waved a hand, setting down the coffee mug on the porch of the house. "Don't worry about it. It wasn't your fault you were called in early. And you know that we have no problem with taking care of Stellar for you.." Murrue sighed, and looked down at the child she held in her arms. Little Stellar looked up at her mother, and gave her a gummy smile and a baby giggle. The little smile was so infectious, Murrue couldn't help but smile back, and she hugged her daughter tightly. "Goodbye, sweetheart. I'll be home soon, I promise." With a final kiss to Stellar's cheek, she handed the baby over to Caridad, and climbed back in the car.

As the car continued it's journey, Murrue looked across at the one who drove. He still looked sleepy, and as she watched him with a small smile, he blinked, and stifled a yawn.

"You didn't have to do this, you know..." she said, placing a hand over his. Mwu looked across, and shook his head. "Nah, it's okay. I have a lot of stuff to catch up on, so it makes sense for me to go in early too." He squeezed her hand gently. "This a big project, huh?" Murrue nodded. "It's maintenance, the yearly check on one of the biggest ships in the fleet. It takes every member of the crew that there is..and even then, sometimes it's not enough..."

As the car reached the outskirts of the Morgenroete complex, Murrue checked her bag to make sure she had everything she needed, then as they reached the entrance, she leaned across, kissing her husband lightly. "Thanks for the lift. I'll see you later, okay? Have a good day!" Mwu smiled, and ruffled her hair. "I will. You take care of yourself!" he called, as she got out of the car and ran inside. "Love you!"

Murrue turned around just before she reached the doors, and blew him a kiss, waving as he drove away.

The morning passed quickly, the technicians and mechanics climbing all over the ship, checking panels, fixing what needed it, tuning up the engines, anything that needed checking over. Finally, towards the end of the afternoon, Erica turned to Murrue. "There's a panel there..." she pointed upwards to the very back of the huge ship. "but it's difficult to get to. It involves crossing along one of the upper gantries, and climbing onto the ship. But it's dangerous. Are you okay with that?"

Murrue smiled, and shouldered the bag of tools she carried. "Oh yes, that'll be all right." Of course, it looked quite scary, but if it needed doing, then she would do it...

The climb was more difficult than it had looked from the ground, and she almost slipped more than once. But she did reach it in the end, the achievement drawing a grin of satisfaction from the woman. Pulling out a wrench from the bag, she set to work.

But the job was tough, and the sun shining down outside on the tin roof of the hangar made the heat stifling. Brushing a hand over her forehead, Murrue continued working. But the heat caused her hands to become sweaty, and all of a sudden, the wrench slipped from her grasp.

"Dammit!" she cursed, swiping for the tool. But the movement made her overbalance...and she fell. She made a desperate attempt to grab for the gantry railing, but the handhold was ripped from her sweaty hands.

The fall felt slow...like she was falling through treacle. She could see everything around her clearly, but the world had attained an almost dream-like quality. She could hear the cries of her friends, but they were muffled, distant.

_I wonder how far it is to the ground. I never checked..._ Murrue laughed a little, amused by the irony. _After everything I've been through..two wars, countless battles..I'm going to die in an accident. _She closed her eyes, a few tears slipping from them, flying into the air like raindrops. _I wish..I could have seen Stellar one last time...and I wish..with all my heart..that I'd told Mwu I loved him.._

Then there was blackness.

The classroom was quiet, the students out on break after the test they had taken that afternoon. Mwu himself sat at his desk in that room, checking over the test papers, sometimes smiling, sometimes clucking in annoyance over a stupid answer. All was peaceful.

Until the sound of frantically running footsteps approached the room, and the receptionist ran in, breathing heavily. "Fllaga-_sensei_...there's been a call..it's..."

As he listened to the panicked message..Mwu went pale. Throwing down the pen, he dashed from the building..driving to the hospital as fast as he could go.

_Murrue!_

The waiting room was almost silent, the only sound there the quiet sobbing of Erica as she sat huddled in one of the uncomfortable plastic chairs. When Mwu ran into the room, she looked up, the tears running down her face. Mwu went cold, his heart almost stopping. Was he too late?

"Director..I...is Murrue..." he stuttered, barely able to get the words out, his hands shaking in fear. Erica shook her head. "She...she's still in surgery.." she gasped. "I..it's all my fault. She was up in a gantry..almost thirty feet from the ground. I asked her to go up there..it's my fault. I..." She buried her face in her hands again, crying ceaselessly. Mwu crossed to the window, and looked out. Beyond the glass was the hospital's garden, the pleasant setting of the trees and flowers obviously intended to soothe the worry of families and friends. But instead..all Mwu could think about was how much Murrue would love it. He could picture her there, wandering along the paths, her thin fingers brushing against the petals of the blooms, that beautiful smile on her face, just as it was in her own garden back home. Mwu laid his hand against the window, trying to calm his racing heart. What if she..

_What if I lose her? What would I do? How would I live without her?_

A few hours later, the worry not soothed by the sounds of running feet outside the door, or by countless cups of insipid coffee from the drink machine down the hall, the door to the room was pushed open by a man in a crisp white coat. A doctor.

Mwu practically ran across the room. "Doctor..is it..is she?"

"You're...?" asked the man, confused. Mwu waved a hand. "I'm Murrue's husband. Is she..is she okay?" The doctor sighed...and nodded. Relief...it was almost visible, the lifting of worry from shoulders. The doctor smiled a little.

"She will be all right, although it'll take a while for her to fully recover. It seems as though the fall caused slight spinal injuries..she's paralysed. But.." he said, noting the sheer horror on Mwu and Erica's faces, "it's only temporary. Murrue-san is very lucky. How she survived a fall like that without any serious injuries, or at least broken bones, I'll never know. Someone must have been looking out for her..."

Mwu sighed, brushing the icy sweat from his brow. "Can..can I see her?" he asked, voice choked. The doctor nodded. "She's in room 5, just up the corridor. She's still sleeping though..it might be quite a while before she regains consciousness.."

Pushing open the door, Mwu blinked at the brightness of the room. The walls and bedsheets were a stark white, and the silence, save for the quiet beep of a machine by the bed, was almost deafening. Murrue lay in the bed, eyes tightly closed, breathing shallow. The light from the curtained window shone behind her, making her look angelic.

"Oh..Murrue.."

Sitting down beside her, Mwu took one of her limp hands, holding it tightly between his own. The white of the bedsheets seemed to leach colour from her already pale face..and if it wasn't for the quiet breaths he could hear when he held his own, he'd have thought she was...

_No! Don't think that! She isn't...she's not dead. She'll be all right. She'll wake up! _Reaching out, he brushed a lock of her dark hair from her face, running his fingers along her face. She would be all right..she was just sleeping, the doctor said. She would be all right...

The next day, as soon as visiting hours began..he was there. He had taken Stellar back across to the kid's house, with a hasty explanation. He hadn't wanted to go into details, just explained to the princess that Murrue was in hospital, and would be there for a while. Lacus hadn't said anything, perhaps understanding Mwu's worry. All she had done was give him that gentle smile, and promised that she and Kira would take care of the baby for as long as he needed them to. Stellar was confused, and a little tearful that her mother was nowhere to be seen, and all Mwu had been able to do was kiss the little girl, and promise her that Mama would be home just as soon as she could...

_Funny, really. I never believed in God that much, or any kind of higher power. Maybe it's because of all the stuff I've seen over the years. But last night..all I could think of to do was pray. That Murrue really would be all right..that she would wake up..._

And it seemed as though those fervent supplications had been listened to, because while Mwu was out of the room, calling Erica to update her on the situation..Murrue did wake up. She looked around herself, amber eyes wide in confusion and fear as she realised that she couldn't move. But..she was awake. Mwu had dashed into the room, practically hanging up on Erica.

"Oh, Murrue...I'm so glad you're all right!" he gasped, smiling happily. But Murrue..she frowned.

"Who are you?" was all she said. But those three words..they hit Mwu like a sledgehammer..literally knocking the breath from him. "I..I..." he stuttered. _She..she doesn't know me..she has no idea who I am...I..._

Forcing a smile onto his face (there was no sense making her more worried or confused than she already was, after all..), he moved forward to sit back by her bedside. "My name is Mwu.." he said, a note of false cheerfulness in his voice. "How are you feeling?"

Murrue stared up at the ceiling, bewilderment plastered all over her face. "Okay..I guess, considering I can't move. But..it's strange. I don't...what happened to me? Where am I? _Who _am I? I don't remember!" Her eyes were wide with fear, panic beginning to take hold. Mwu took hold of her hand, causing her gaze to shift to him.

"It's all right.." he soothed. "It must be amnesia..maybe the fall caused it. I know..how scary it is to wake up somewhere..not remembering anything. But it'll be okay, I promise."

She didn't look convinced, but sighed. "I hope so.." She looked up at him. "You..you called me 'Murrue'. Is that my name?" At his nod, she smiled a little. "At least now I know something. You said..your name was 'Mwu', right? Can..can you help me? Help me sit up? I can't..move by myself.."

Very gently, Mwu slipped an arm around his wife's shoulders, carefully propping her up against the pillows. She smiled, although the expression was a pale imitation of the happy smile she usually gave him, it made Mwu's heart feel a little lighter. "Thank you.." she said gratefully, and he smiled back. "You're welcome. Would you like the windows open? It's kind of stuffy in here, huh?"

Murrue's smile grew. "That's very kind of you.."

As he opened the curtains, and let fresh air into the room, he heard a gasp from the bed. Murrue was staring at his left hand..more specifically, the golden wedding ring that gleamed there. "You...you.." she whispered, hand to her mouth. "Are you..are we..."

Her pale face flushed pink..she was blushing. Mwu came and sat back down beside her. "What's wrong?"

"That ring..I...are you..we..." She took a deep breath. "That's why you're here..why you look so sad that I can't remember. We're..we're married, aren't we?"

He looked down, pain stabbing at him. "Yes." he said finally. "For nearly two years now. Don't be worried that you don't remember. It isn't your fault. It's just...ironic, that's all.." Murrue tipped her head to one side in confusion at that, but he didn't say anything more.

A week or so later, the two of them were making their way steadily down one of the myriad corridors of the hospital. Even though Murrue still couldn't walk, the paralysis had lessened enough for her to be able to move the upper half of her body, and even wiggle her toes. That morning, Mwu had arrived with a wheelchair, and they had gone exploring.

"So...anywhere that you want to go?" he asked cheerfully as they went. Murrue leaned back into the chair. "Anywhere..that doesn't feel like I'm in hospital. I hate this place."

She had grown more comfortable with his presence, accepting that he was her husband. And with the way her face lit up when he arrived each morning, and the pink that crept onto her face..it seemed as though she was happy that he was there. As they rounded a corner, they came across a door to the outside. "Can we go out there?" she asked quietly. Mwu looked at the door, and shrugged. "I don't see any sign saying we can't.."

"But the door's too narrow for the chair to fit through.." she said, shoulders slumping in disappointment. Mwu smiled. "Don't worry about that." Opening the door, he peeked outside. "Oh, you'll like this.." With a mischievous grin, he turned to the woman in the wheelchair. "Close your eyes.."

"But..Mwu.." she protested, but he laid a finger on her lips. "Trust me, okay?"

With a sigh, she did as she was told, closing her amber eyes as he lifted her easily from the chair. He carried her close to his body, warmth flooding through him as Murrue nestled her head against his shoulder.

"Okay." he said. "Now you can open your eyes." He watched as she cracked her eyes open, wincing a little at the bright sunlight. But as she adjusted to the daylight..her face lit up in a delighted smile. "Oh..it's beautiful!"

They were in a quiet courtyard, sheltered from the breeze. A tiny pond stood in the centre, surrounded by flowering plants and reeds. He had settled her down on a bench, and sat down beside her. "It is pretty, isn't it..." he mused, a smile on his own face at her obvious happiness. Murrue closed her eyes, tipping her pale face upwards into the sun, rather like a flower. That face wore a serene smile, something he hadn't seen from her since her accident.

She turned to Mwu. "Thank you."

He shook his head. "That's okay. Here, I have something I want to show you. They're..photographs." He held out a square piece of paper to her, and she took it, she suddenly looking nervous.

"Oh.." she gasped, hand to her mouth. The picture...he had taken it from her dressing table that morning. It was her favourite, one they had had taken at their wedding. "Is..is that me?" she asked, touching her face at the same time she touched the image of herself. "I didn't know...couldn't see myself. This is our...wedding, isn't it?" She smiled gently. "The dress is beautiful..."

"I know. You saved it..put it in the attic, hoping that Stellar could wear it one day." Murrue frowned. "Stellar?"

In reply, Mwu handed her another picture. Murrue stared in silence, dumbstruck. Then she looked up at Mwu, tears in her eyes.

"She's...she's..my baby? Our baby?" At his silent nod, she began to cry. "Oh..why can't I remember?" she sobbed. "I want to remember!"

Mwu slipped an arm around her shoulder, wanting to soothe her distress. "It's all right..." She wrapped her own slender arms around his middle, pulling him closer and crying on his shoulders. "There's so much I'm missing...what if I never remember? What if I'm like this forever?"

"That doesn't matter.." he said softly, rubbing her back. "Because I love you, more than anyone in the world. And even if you never remember..that will never change. I promise, that whatever happens, I'll always be here."

"Really?" she asked, sniffling, and looking up from his shoulder. He smiled, and wiped her tears away.

"Really."

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( awwww...poor Mwu. Now he knows how it feels to be forgotten by the person you love. I purposely made it so that Murrue-san wasn't badly hurt..I just couldn't face the idea.

Please read and review! )


	81. First Morning

The sounds of birds chirping drifted through the air, the sound comforting, a reminder that they were really back on Earth now. The birdsong could be heard through an open window, causing the one in the bed beyond to stir. The sunlight streamed through the thin curtains, lighting up the bedroom of the house. The person in the bed mumbled a little, then awoke, sleepy amber eyes peering around. At first, all she could see was white, the bedcovers surrounding her. Then, as she pushed them aside, she could make out the small nightstand beside the bed, and the alarm clock ticking quietly.

9am? How long had she been asleep?

Sitting up in the bed, Murrue stretched and yawned, looking around the still-unfamiliar room. They had only moved in here yesterday, and it was still hard to believe that this was her house..._their_ house. Rubbing her eyes, she looked beside her. The other side of the large bed was empty, the covers rumpled...he wasn't there. But when Murrue reached out to smooth the pillow, she smiled as she felt the lingering warmth. So..he hadn't been awake long...

Climbing from the bed, she wrapped a robe around herself, and made her way downstairs. The rooms in the small hallway leading to the main staircase stood silent and empty, and she pushed open the door of the nearest one. The room was tiny, a small window to the left letting the sunlight in. It seemed as though it was just waiting for someone to come and live there..and that thought made Murrue blush slightly.

_Kira-kun said...he chose this place because of the extra rooms...saying that he didn't think Mwu and I would be alone together much longer..._She knew what he had been talking about, but... _I would like a child..children, one day. But it's too early to think about that yet. We have all the time in the world for things like that. Right now..I just want to enjoy this time with Mwu._

Making her way down the carpeted staircase, she smiled as she heard tuneless whistling coming from the spacious kitchen. Tip-toeing to the kitchen doorway, she leaned on the frame and just watched him. Mwu was busily working making coffee, boiling the water in the kettle and placing spoonfuls of the granules into two mugs. The sunlight cascaded through the open window, making the yellow-painted room seem warmer, even more comforting than it was already. The light shone off Mwu's rumpled blonde hair, making it seem spun from gold.

_This is real, isn't it? These days, I can never be sure that this isn't all some wonderful dream. Some part of me still believes that I'll wake up..right when I feel that I could never be happier...and I'll be all alone again._

The kettle finished boiling, the steam hissing from the spout, and Mwu smiled, pouring the hot water into the mugs, and adding milk and sugar. When he finished, he picked up the vessels, and turned around. Only to almost drop the cups as he saw Murrue standing there.

"Whoa! You scared me! Did I wake you up? Sorry about that..." Murrue smiled, and waved a hand. "No, you didn't, it's all right. I just came to see what you were doing, that's all.." She frowned, and pointed to one of the cups Mwu held. "Where did that come from?"

The mug was white, fine china by the looks, and was delicately painted with red and pink roses. The blonde man looked down, and then smiled. "This?" he asked, setting the mugs down on the kitchen table. "I bought this yesterday while we were out. It's a present for you. Do you like it?" he asked, clearly very proud of himself. In reply, Murrue simply embraced him, closing her eyes and laying her head against his heart. "It's beautiful.." she replied softly. "Thank you..."

Even though he could see her smile, Mwu knew that something was wrong. Murrue seemed...quiet, almost subdued.

"Hey, what's wrong, sweetheart?" he asked, leaning down to peer at her face. His girlfriend shook her head, nuzzling further into his chest. "Nothing..it's nothing..." She looked up at him, the worry easy to see in her dark eyes.

"It's just that..the happier I am..the more scared I get. I feel like..I'll wake up. Wake up, and discover that all this, this house, you..it'll all be just a dream, and I'll be alone. I..I couldn't bear it if that happened..."

Gently, Mwu took her by the shoulders, steering her to one of the chairs that stood around the table, and sat her down, placing the mug of coffee before her.

"Don't you think..that it must feel like a dream to me too? This is the last thing I ever expected after the last two years, being able to live with you like this, being so happy. It doesn't feel real. But I promise you, it is. And, " he said, taking a sip of the hot drink, "even if, by some chance, it does turn out to be all a dream, then at least we're having the dream together, right?"

Murrue smiled, the worry disappearing. "You're right. I guess that..if it is just a dream, it's a good one. What kind of life shall we dream about?"

In reply, he leaned forward, and kissed her gently, the rays of the sun bathing them both in warmth.

It was going to be a fine day


	82. Summer

Okay. Because it's been rather warm here (yes, I know, it's almost summer) and June in this country isn't usually like this, I decided to write a summer story. Sort of an homage XD. Enjoy. )  
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The baking hot sunlight streamed down through the trees, the haze it caused seeming to make objects swim. Birds chirped from the shade of tree branches, and the sound of cicadas created a constant backdrop of noise. Slightly in the shade of one of the large trees in her garden, Murrue sat on a chair, reading. Even though she was out of direct sunlight, she still wore a large hat, as well as one of Mwu's shirts draped over her shoulders as protection against sunburn. A cold glass of juice sat by her side, and she smiled, looking up from her book and stretching slightly. Mwu was out...having gone into the city to do a little shopping. He had been gone around an hour, promising to bring back ice-cream.  
_The city..it must be so busy today. I hope it's not too crowded._

_  
_Originally, on this day off, they'd both planned to spend the time at the beach. But today..it was the hottest it had been all year, an impressive achievement for a sub-tropical country, and the news reports had shown the country's beaches...almost every available patch of sand taken by sun-worshippers and families. Disappointed, Mwu and Murrue had seen no other choice but to stay home, and enjoy the day in their garden. Not that Murrue minded so much, now that she thought about it.  
_I want to show him what I bought the last time I went shopping..want it to be a surprise just for him_.  
Turning back to her book, she settled back into the chair, losing herself in the pages of the novel. Time slipped by, and she never noticed the sun wheel around in the sky, on it's journey through the day.

_Man, it's so hot.  
_Slowly, the blonde man trudged through the open front door, placing the ice-cream and other frozen treats he carried into the freezer. The house was cool, but quiet, empty. "Murrue?" She was nowhere to be seen. All the windows were open, the light breeze blowing through and making the curtaints flutter, and the wind chime outside tinkle a pretty tune. But other than that sound, and the sounds of birds and insects...it was quiet. Murrue...she must be outside. Pulling off his shoes, Mwu slipped out into the garden, wincing at the sudden heat after the respite of the house. The grass was warm on his bare feet, the paving stones almost too hot to bear. Hopping over them, Mwu made his way out to the small patio area near the tiny fish pond, knowing that's where she would most likely be.

And she was. Murrue sat on a sunlounger, absorbed in the book she held. Her dark hair was tied up under her hat, leaving her neck bare. Silently, Mwu crept forward until he was right behind her...and still she didn't notice that he was there. He was close enough to smell the scent of sun lotion and warm skin..and he smiled happily. _Perfect.  
_Wrapping an arm around her, he pressed a kiss to the back of her neck, laughing when Murrue jumped in surprise. "Oh, Mwu!" she gasped, dropping her book. "You scared me!" Mwu only smiled again, nuzzling closer to her. "Sorry. Couldn't help myself"  
She sighed, and reached behind her to curl her arm around the back of his neck. "It's okay. Was the city busy?"  
"Sure was" he replied, kissing her cheek before standing up..and stealing her hat. Murrue turned around sharply, seeing him saunter off into the garden with the pink sunhat atop his blonde curls, hearing him whistle a cheerful tune. All she could think of to do was smile. _He really can be such an idiot..._

That afternoon, Murrue wandered around her garden, checking to see how all the flowers and plants were coping with the heat of the day. Mwu was somewhere else, the whistling still to be heard as he used the hosepipe to water the place, and also to top up the fish pond. Kneeling down, she smiled as she patted the earth beneath a clump of violets, feeling how dry the soil was.  
All of a sudden, she was hit by a cold spray. Mwu was standing behind her with the hosepipe, clearly having just sprayed her with the cool jet of water. He didn't say anything, just grinned. Keeping her expression as neutral as possible, Murrue walked up to him, inwardly smiling as his grin died, and he backed away a little. But all she did was take her sunhat back, and walk away.  
Mwu breathed a sigh of relief, and carried on watering the plants. Finishing with the smaller ones, he moved onto the rose bushes lining the far wall. The sun still shone brightly, and he tipped his head back, brushing the sweat and hair from his face. He continued to stand there for a few moments...until he was hit by something so cold..it took his breath away.

"What in the..." Mwu gasped, looking down at himself. He was soaked through, the T-shirt and shorts he wore completely drenched. Spinning around, he saw Murrue standing there, holding a bucket. She had..thrown a whole bucketful of water at him, the cold hitting his hot skin...it had almost knocked him flat.  
Murrue watched him standing there, he seemingly too shocked to speak. His long blonde hair was plastered to his head, dripping golden tendrils covering his face, leaving only one blue eye visible. He looked so funny...she couldn't help it. She laughed.  
Mwu only stepped forward, listening to her peals of giggles as she dropped her bucket. "Funny, huh?" was all he said. Still laughing, Murrue looked up at him...only to run for it when he lunged at her.  
She ran as fast as she could through the garden, giggling all the time, occasionally peeking behind her to check where he was. She knew that there was no way she could ever outrun him, but...

Eventually, just as she had thought, Mwu caught her, lifting her clear from the ground, and spinning her around until she was dizzy.  
"Stop it!" Murrue squealed through her laughter. "Put me down!" Mwu was laughing too, the chuckle blending with her own giggles. He kept spinning her until he got too dizzy to stand anymore, and they both collapsed onto the grass.  
"Man.." remarked Mwu, pulling at his T-shirt. "I'm soaked through"  
"Serves you right.." replied Murrue idly, looking up from where she lay on the grass. "You started it"  
Mwu sighed, and pulled off the wet shirt, tossing it aside. She looked up at him, smiling. "You look fine like that..." she said gently, reaching out and running a hand up his arm. "But here.." Sitting up, Murrue took off the shirt of his she wore, and handed it to him.  
"This is yours, so wear it"  
But Mwu never noticed the material she held out. He was too busy staring at what she was wearing underneath the shirt. A pale pink bikini, with tiny flowers on the shoulder straps. The colour suited her pale skin perfectly...she looked amazing. Murrue giggled at his wide-eyed expression, happy that he'd noticed. "Do you like it?" she asked softly, standing up and twirling around. All he could do was nod.  
"I was going to wear this to the beach today..." she mused, pressing a finger to her chin. "But we couldn't go..."  
"I'm glad..." he replied, finding his voice. She looked down at him, small smile on her face. "Oh?" she asked sweetly. "And why is that?"  
"Because...I wouldn't have wanted anyone else to see you in that.." Mwu said, standing up and taking her in his arms. "Just me."  
Murrue giggled, and wrapped her arms around his neck. "You'd be jealous?" she asked, kissing the tip of his nose.  
"Very.." he admitted, breathing in her scent. Murrue only smiled, and, tilting his chin with a finger, kissed him lightly...and walked away, laughing softly.  
Mwu stood there for several moments after she had left, just smiling.  
_This summer will be great..._

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_( Hee hee hee. I wanted to try writing Murrue-san as kind of flirty...did I do all right?  
Please read and review! )


	83. Scent

After the frantic pace of a battle...it can be hard to wind down. After all the confusion, fear, and adrenaline..all that's left is exhaustion, and regret. After a battle...it's only then you realise just how tired you are...when the emotion releases it's hold on your body, leaving you drained...

The small captain's office was quiet and peaceful, the stillness a welcome change from the constant activity of the battle that had ended a short while ago. The captain herself sat on the small sofa in this office, leaning back against the wall, amber eyes closed. The pace, the constant worry...it had all left her exhausted, and so, she sat there, letting the stress and nervousness drain away and leave her system. The sofa was soft and comfortable, and Murrue smiled, the drowsiness washing over her.

_I could fall asleep very easily here..._

The sound of the office door hissing open, then closed, registered to her ears, but Murrue's eyes refused to open..she was far too sleepy. "Who's there?" she murmured, but there was no answer. Instead, the sound of heavy footsteps made it's way closer to where she sat, then the sofa moved as someone sat down beside her. After a moment, there was a loud sigh, and Murrue smiled, the corners of her lips curving slightly. She knew who that was. Turning her head, she cracked open an eye to see him sitting there. Mwu looked worn out, dark circles shadowing his tightly closed blue eyes. This battle had been much harder on him, with him being a pilot. He'd been right in the centre of the action, after all. As tired as Murrue herself was, she knew that he had to be feeling much worse.

Slowly, she reached out a hand, and slipped it into his. Mwu mumbled something, and a second later, he squeezed her hand, entwining their fingers together.

"Are you all right?" he asked quietly. Murrue smiled a little, closing her eyes again. "Yes, I'm all right. And you?" she replied. He only laughed, the usually cheery sound coming out faint and strained. "Yeah...just really tired.." he sighed, leaning his head on her shoulder. She tilted her head to the side to rest on his, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of his head. The two of them sat there together like that for a long while, neither of them was sure just how long.

Mwu murmured something happily, and nestled even closer to her, making Murrue giggle. His scent rose up to surround her, and she smiled, breathing in deeply. He smelt of so many different things...all mixed together, the scent so familiar, she knew that wherever she went, she would know he was there when she smelt it...A mixture of sweat, aftershave, and warm skin, plus the faint smell of sandalwood soap...as well as something else..something indescribable. Whatever it was...it filled up her heart, making her feel warm inside, happy.

_It's comforting...a feel of familiarity, security. Odd how feelings like that can come from just a smell..._

"You asleep?" he asked quietly. Murrue sighed, resting her cheek against his golden hair. "No, " she whispered back. "Not yet...just thinking.."

"About what?" he questioned drowsily, he almost asleep. His free arm wrapped around her waist, so he could move even closer to her, enjoying her warmth. "Nothing, really.." she muttered. "It's not important.."

But she was smiling as she fell asleep in his arms.

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( I really have no idea where that idea came from. I just thought it might be cute XD

Please read and review! )


	84. Lost and Found

Today was a day off. Normally, she would have been up and about early, perhaps doing some of the washing (the pile never seemed to get any smaller), feeding the birds in the garden, or preparing breakfast for the children. But instead..she was curled up in bed still, under the fluffy white duvet. Mwu had gone out early that morning, just after the sun had risen, complaining bitterly about him being the only one having to work today. But quietly, of course, as he'd thought that she was still sleeping. She hadn't been, well, not quite, she had heard his low grumbles, and felt the light kiss he'd placed on her cheek, but had been too drowsy to react. And at this point, she was half-dozing, dreams and reality mixing together. She could hear birds singing outside, and the flap of the curtains as they danced in the breeze from the open window. She could also hear little footsteps, whispering and giggling, and she smiled, waiting for the alarm call.

After a few moments, there was wriggling from the bottom of the bed, something, or someone, crawling up through the duvet. Opening amber eyes, she peeked to the side to see two pairs of bright blue eyes staring back, the orbs full of happiness and mischief...just like their father's. "Good morning.." she said, a laugh to her voice. The oldest child beamed. "Morning, Mama!" Her little sister echoed the greeting, waving a hand. Stellar peeked around the room, confusion on her face. "Where's Papa?"

"Papa's working, sweetheart. He got up before the birds this morning.." replied Murrue, brushing strands of dark hair from the eight-year-old girl's face, noticing how disappointed she looked. "Awww...and school holidays just started too. Will Papa be off work soon?"

"I don't know. But I'm sure he'll try." replied Murrue. Stellar nodded at this, and snuggled down in the bed, hugging her mother tightly. Little Lily followed suit, nuzzling her face into Murrue's shoulder, giggling when Stellar reached over and tickled her side.

"So what can we do today, Mama?" asked the older girl, sitting up and stretching. Her mother pretended to think. "Oh, I don't know. What would you like to do?"

Stellar grinned. "Can we stay here until Papa gets home?" Murrue giggled. "Well, we could, but wouldn't it get boring after a while?"

"I guess..." The child leaned over the side of the bed, trying to peek underneath, but a collection of small folders littering the blue carpet caught her attention. "What are these, Mama?" she asked, reaching out and picking one of them up. "I've never seen these before.."

Sitting up in the bed, Stellar opened the book halfway through, and gasped. Inside were photographs.

Murrue sat up, settling Lily on her lap. The toddler stared at the picture her big sister had found, then smiled. "Mama." she said clearly. The photograph was indeed of Murrue. She was standing on a beach, her long auburn hair tied back with a ribbon, red rose slotted into the ponytail. She wore a dark red dress, and a smile curved her lips.

"You look so pretty, Mama!" said Stellar happily. Murrue laughed. "Lacus-san and Kira-kun bought that dress for me for my birthday, the year I turned 27. They said red suited me.."

"But why aren't you smiling?" asked the little girl, blue eyes full of confusion. Murrue frowned. "But I am, sweetie.." she said, pointing to the picture. But Stellar shook her head. "No you aren't. Not properly. Auntie Lacus told me that there are two kinds of smiling, happy and sad. When you're happy, you smile with your eyes too. But there...you aren't. That's a sad smile. Why?"

Then she frowned too, studying the picture closely. "You said that this was your birthday. But...where's Papa? Did he take the picture?"

"No.." said her mother softly. "Auntie Milly took that picture. Papa..he wasn't there." She bit her lip and looked away. "Papa..couldn't be there..." Stellar looked stricken. "Why not, Mama? Did he forget it was your birthday?"

"Forgot..." whispered Murrue, an expression of pain on her face. Then it cleared, and looking back up at her daughter, she smiled. But the little girl wasn't fooled. "There!" she said, pointing to her mother's face. "That's a sad smile. Auntie Lacus said that Uncle Kira used to smile like that. It never reached his eyes. What's the matter? Why are you sad?"

For a moment, Murrue didn't answer. Then she felt a little pair of arms wrap themselves tightly around her. The two-year-old Lily had noticed how sad her mother was, and was trying to comfort her in her own little way. Murrue smiled again, this time genuinely, and kissed the toddler on the top of her ruffled blonde curls. "It's all right.." she said softly. "Mama isn't sad anymore...doesn't have to be sad.." She looked up at Stellar, and picked up the photograph album. "There was a reason Papa couldn't be there. But it wasn't his fault. Would you like to know how I met him?" At the little girl's nod, Murrue flicked back the pages to the beginning of the album. The first picture was of a much younger version of herself, a teenager of eighteen. She wore a uniform that looked very much like a sailor suit, and her dark hair was shorter, hanging just below her ears. Stellar was amazed.

"Is that you, Mama?" Murrue giggled. "Yes, that's me. This was taken the day I joined the army..." Stellar grinned, then pointed to a woman who stood just behind the young Murrue. This woman looked just like her mother did now, but older. "Who's that?" she asked.

"That's _my _mama.." replied Murrue. "Your grandma. She wasn't very happy when I wanted to join the army, but she knew that's what I wanted to do, so..." Her daughter nodded, remembering that Papa had told her Mama couldn't see Grandma anymore. Then she smiled. "Is this where you met Papa?"

"No.." laughed Murrue. "I didn't meet Papa till much later. About eight years after this picture was taken. We met at the Orb colony Heliopolis..it's about eleven years ago now..."

Over the page was one of her favourite photographs, if not her actual favourite. It had been taken aboard the _Archangel_ during the first war, and showed the time they had held a small party on board, while the ship was hiding out at Colony Mendel. The party had been to boost morale, and Murrue remembered the laughter and cheer of that night as though it had happened yesterday. The picture showed herself, smiling and happy, clutching a drink in one hand. Behind her..stood Mwu, clearly just as happy. His arms were wrapped tightly around her waist, and his cheek was pressed to hers. The love they shared was easy to see, and even today, it caused the couple to smile when they saw it. Stellar was awed. Lily pointed to the picture with a chubby finger. "Mama!" she chirped. Then her finger moved to Mwu's face. "Papa?" she asked, sounding a little confused. Murrue laughed softly. "Yes, that is Papa...I never knew anyone had a picture of us until a few years ago. I think Uncle Kira found it while he was cleaning up his house.."

Stellar touched the image of her father, looking surprised. "Papa sure does look different here. His hair's shorter, and he doesn't have that stripe on his face." Her mother nodded. "That was taken before he got that. The scar..he got that because of me..." Her daughter frowned at that, but Murrue didn't say anything more. Instead, she simply turned the page, touching the next picture with thin fingers, the expression of pain back on her pale face. This photograph...it had been taken in the weeks following the battle at Jachin Due.

It showed Murrue sitting on the wooden porch of the beach house, staring out to sea. The sun was setting over the ocean, turning the sky blood-red and orange. Murrue herself looked thin, almost transparent, and her face wore a look of barely contained grief and sadness..no smile this time. Stellar gasped. "You look so sad in this picture, Mama! What happened? Where's Papa?"

Murrue sighed, and looked down. "Papa...he got lost. For two whole years...he was lost, and I couldn't find him." A tear slid slowly down her cheek, and she brushed it away quickly, noticing the unhappy look on her oldest child's face. "I'm sorry, sweetie. It's okay. It shouldn't hurt after all this time..."

"Papa lost?" asked Lily, not really understanding. "We go find him?"

Murrue smiled, and hugged her youngest daughter close. "It's all right, Lily. Papa isn't lost anymore." The next few pictures were of Murrue either alone, or with Kira and Lacus. The smile was back on her face, but it was almost always a sad smile. Stellar snuggled close to her mother. "So, Papa was lost? That's why you were sad? How did he get lost?"

"He went out to fight...and he didn't come back. But I knew I'd see him again one day, so I waited..." she replied, wrapping an arm around her daughter. Stellar peered up. "You waited? But what if you'd never found Papa?"

"That didn't matter..." said Murrue softly, staring down at the pictures. "However long it took, I knew that I'd see him again one day, so I kept waiting. I'd have waited forever..." She turned the page, smiling inwardly, knowing what was next. The photograph over the page...the happiness contained within it was something you could almost reach out and touch. Like the party picture, this one was also taken on board the _Archangel_. But instead of the grey and white of the uniforms then, in this photo the couple wore the blue and white of Orb. The embrace the couple was in was very similar to the one from the picture taken two years previously. Mwu stood there, wide smile on his scarred face, chin resting on the shoulder of the woman he held tightly. Murrue was also smiling, this time the expression reaching her eyes...a smile of pure happiness.

"Is that when you found Papa?" asked Stellar, little face wearing a smile of her own. Murrue shook her head. "No. I didn't find Papa, Kira-kun was the one who found him.." But the child giggled, wrapping her arms around her mother's neck. "That's not what Papa said. He told me that once he was lost and alone..and that you found him."

Murrue gasped, then smiled, leaning back against the pillows, arms around her daughters. "He said that, did he? Well, if I was the one who found him..then he found me first. Before I met him, my heart was lost...and he found it..."

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(Hee. Was that one okay? It's a lot longer than yesterday's, ne?

Please read and review! )


	85. Checkup

The war was quiet. Of course, it hadn't ended..it was more like both sides were just..._waiting_ for something. It was clear that eventually, this odd ceasefire would be ended, but at the moment..nothing was happening. And since they had spare time on their hands..it was the perfect time to tie up loose ends, finish repair work, or carry out long overdue checks.

Like health checks. The _Archangel_'s medical staff had decided to carry out the yearly physical checks required by the military. Even if some of the crewmembers had already had their check-up..it made sense to examine everyone while they still had the time to do so. And of course, with the ship's crew being as sparse as it was..it wouldn't take much time to get through everyone.

And it didn't. After a couple of days, the entire crew had been checked over...and it was time for the two senior officers. But no matter how hard they looked, the medics couldn't find Commander La Fllaga. Everywhere they looked, it was if he'd just vanished into thin air. The chief medic sighed, as yet again, people kept coming back saying sorry, they'd checked everywhere, but they couldn't find him.

"Well, there's no sense keeping looking. After all, there are only so many places he could go. Rather than waste time, we'll go get the Captain.."

Murrue sat alone in her small office, reading lamp casting a soft glow upon the small sheaf of papers on her desk. There really was nothing to do..and although she knew that she should be glad of this opportunity, however long it lasted, to live life in peace for a little while..instead, she was rather bored.

_Not that I want battle to break out tomorrow or anything, but somehow..waiting is just as bad. We never know what to do with ourselves..._

A knock at the door startled her from her introspection, and she looked up. "Come in!" she called, brushing dark hair from her face. The door hissed open, revealing the ship's doctor standing in the hallway. "Oh, Doctor. What is it? Can I help you?" The man sighed, then smiled, adjusting the spectacles that clung to his beaky nose. "Good afternoon, Captain. I came to ask you if it would be all right for you to have your check-up a little earlier than we planned. Nothing's wrong, but we can't seem to find Commander La Fllaga. If you're busy, we can come back later, or you..." He stopped as Murrue held up one thin hand. "Wait a moment.." she said. "You can't find the Commander?"

The doctor shrugged. "We've looked for him everywhere..but it's as if he's just disappeared..."

Murrue frowned at that, then stood up, walking out of the office. The doctor blinked in surprise, but followed behind her as she stalked down the hallways and into the elevator.

Mwu of course, hadn't really disappeared. When the doctors had come looking, he had simply hidden, keeping silent inside his quarters until they had gone. It wasn't that he was scared, of course, just that...he hated check-ups...

A beep at the door caused him to look up, and he frowned. Someone was entering the code to open the portal. Only one person besides him on this ship knew the code...but why would she be coming to visit him this early in the day?

The door hissed open, and he smiled...then the smile faded. It was indeed Murrue, but behind her was the ship's doctor. And Murrue...boy, did she ever look mad.

"Uh..hi.." said Mwu, a note of false cheer in his voice. Murrue didn't say anything at first, simply glared. Then she walked up to him, hands on hips. "You were hiding?" she asked. He gulped, and stood up off the bed. Her expression never changed, the amber eyes narrowed. "You're not exactly setting a good example, are you? Go on, get to sickbay!" Mwu opened his mouth to speak, to make an excuse..._anything_. But one scowl from Murrue forced him into silence.

_It's odd. I love her so much..with all my heart. But when she gets angry..I'm terrified of her. I wonder why that is?_

As he slowly, unwillingly, trudged out of the darkened room on his way to sickbay, Murrue followed behind, a tiny smile of satisfaction on her face. She really didn't like acting this way, but sometimes, it was necessary. Mwu could be such a child sometimes...

Inside the bright, sterile environment of the ship's clinic, Mwu heaved himself onto one of the beds with a huge sigh. The doctor, barely able to hide his smile, stepped forward.

"All right, Commander, take your shirt off..." Mwu glanced up at Murrue once more, pleading look in his blue eyes, but all she did was shake her head, arms folded tightly across her chest. Grudgingly, realising he wasn't going to get any sympathy, he did as he was told. He shivered slightly as the cool air of the sickbay hit his bare chest, wincing at the almost-healed scars he had recieved at Mendel.

"All right, hold out your arm while I check your blood pressure..." The doctor strapped the device around Mwu's right arm, and inflated it until his pulse could be tested. After that, it was a simple round of examinations, reflexes, vision checks, heart rate, until finally, it was done. Delighted, Mwu hopped off the bed and buttoned up his shirt, grinning broadly. Murrue noticed his happiness, and giggled. "You're such a bad patient.."

He shrugged. "Maybe so. But it's your turn now, my dear Captain.."

Smiling sweetly, Murrue removed her uniform jacket and sat down on the bed composedly. As the doctor performed the same battery of tests upon her as he had done on Mwu, the blonde man could only watch and smile. Murrue was sitting quietly, none of the grumbling and fidgeting from her that there had been from him. _Typical Murrue..._

"All right, Captain..after we check that wound of yours, we'll be doing a blood test." The doctor gently rolled up the sleeve of Murrue's T-shirt, checking the bullet wound she had recieved at Heliopolis. "Good, that's healed nicely. Now, hold out your arm, please."

The nurse was quick to return with the results of the tests. "Well, you're both in good health" said the doctor with a smile, "although your blood test, Captain, indicates you're slightly anaemic. I'd suggest you take it easy, and remember to eat properly, okay?"

After the two of them had left sickbay, Mwu slipped his arm around his captain's shoulders. "You didn't have to be so mean, you know.." he said, a soft whine to his voice. Murrue only smiled. "I know. But if I'd just asked you nicely, would you have listened? Or just teased me, like you always do?"

The only reply he could think of was to pout, which made her smile increase. "You can be such a child.." she sighed, resting her head on his shoulder. Mwu chuckled. "I always hated the doctor's, ever since I _was_ a kid. And at least then, I got a lollipop..."

She looked up at him, eyebrow raised. "Is that what you wanted? A lollipop?"

The only answer she got was his grin.

Later, in her room, Mwu was lying sprawled out on the bed, while she brushed her hair.

"You know..." his voice drifted lazily across the room, "I don't think they checked me over properly..."

"Oh?"

"Yup." he said, turning his head to the right to try and squint at the bullet scar on his shoulder. "I mean, there's more they could have looked at." Murrue walked over to where he lay, and sat down beside him, the cool touch of her thin fingers caressing the scar. "And what do you think they missed?" she asked, soft smile on her face. He paused to think, then grinned. "Why don't you check me and find out? What does my heart sound like?"

Rolling her eyes, Murrue leaned down, pressing her cheek to his chest. She could clearly hear the steady thump of his heart, and smiled, eyes closing as she nuzzled further into the intoxicating warmth of his bare chest. "Well?" Mwu asked.

"You sound fine.." she whispered, not wanting to move. She felt his laughter echoing inside him. "That's good to know.."

Suddenly, he rolled over on the small bed, until he was above her, smiling down at her. "Okay then, time to check _you_ over.." Leaning down, he listened to her own heart, hearing the soft beat faintly in his ears. "That's kinda quiet.." Very gently, he began to stroke the bare skin of her arms, moving down slowly to her chest, then her stomach, smile growing as he heard her gasp. Looking up, Mwu saw that her face was flushed pale pink, and her eyes were closed. Resting his head against her chest once more, he laughed.

"Hey, your heartbeat's faster now. Why is that, I wonder?" he asked, still gently caressing her.

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( Incoherence FTW. Guess who had to go for a check-up at the doctors today?

Please read and review! )


	86. First Word

The tiny cobbled courtyard outside the chapel was bustling, people milling about here and there. The sun tried hard to shine through the bank of cloud on the horizon, and a faint breeze blew through the trees and across the nearby beach, sending sand scattering everywhere.. The day was hot and humid, despite it being early spring, and most people were already inside the small chapel, enjoying the respite from the heat. Across the courtyard, and down a small sandy path, stood a wooden house by the seashore. Those who hadn't gathered at the chapel were congregated here, putting the last finishing touches to the preparations for the day.

Stepping back from the small mirror in one of the bedrooms, Murrue smoothed down the ivory dress she wore, and made sure the braid in her thick dark hair was secure. Mwu stood off to the side, muttering curses under his breath as he fought a losing battle with the tie twisted around his neck. Finally giving up, he looked pleadingly across at his wife, who sighed, a small smile on her face.

"You never will be any good at that, will you?" she asked, deftly adjusting the strip of cloth so it hung neatly. Mwu just shrugged, the gesture making his long blonde hair fall across his face. "When do I ever have to wear them? Do I really have to wear it today?" His voice held a slight whine, and Murrue chuckled. "Yes, you really have to wear it. Today is special, remember?"

Mwu nodded. "Yeah, I know, but still..." He turned to peer at himself in the mirror, and scowled. "I look dumb" he complained, attempting to make his unruly curls look presentable. Murrue just shook her head. Standing on her tiptoes, she gently placed a kiss on her husband's cheek, breathing in the scent of his aftershave. "You look very handsome.."

Today, it was the naming ceremony for their daughter Stellar. The little girl, just nine months old, lay sound asleep on the threadbare sofa in the sitting room, already dressed in the pink and white lacy dress Murrue had bought. After the ceremony itself, there would be a small party held at Mwu and Murrue's house, outside in the large garden. Lacus had baked a cake, and it sat in a box in the kitchen, while Lacus herself chatted with Meyrin about their upcoming weddings, the girlish giggles echoing around the house.

The sound of the laughter woke up the baby sleeping peacefully in the sitting room, and the sound of her little voice babbling away to itself brought her mother into the room. Stellar giggled happily when she saw Murrue, waving her arms until she was picked up. Murrue smiled, kissing the baby on the cheek. "You didn't sleep for very long, now did you?" She adjusted the child's dress, and carried her into the kitchen, where her father was now waiting. Mwu's scarred face lit up when he saw his daughter, and he pulled a silly face, making the baby laugh again.

The ceremony went well, the tiny chapel packed full with all their friends. Even Cagalli had been able to make it, and she sat there in the front row with a bodyguard, beside her twin brother. Being Cagalli, she had threatened Kira with actual bodily harm if he didn't invite her to his wedding, his marriage to Lacus planned for the next month. Kira had originally planned his wedding not knowing that Cagalli would be away on that particular day, and her reaction...well, it was lucky there hadn't been anything breakable in the room at that time...

Mwu and Murrue stood at the altar as Malchio-sama went ahead with the ceremony. Mwu was rather nervous, standing stiff as a board and staring straight ahead, almost the same as he had at his wedding. Even when his wife placed a gentle hand on his arm, he didn't relax.

"Mwu..it's okay." she whispered. "You can take it easy, it's not like we're getting married again..." He glanced down at her, his tension slowly easing at the sight of her soft smile. He smiled back, finally, taking Murrue's hand in his own and squeezing it.

Malchio-sama, holding Stellar in his arms, lightly sprinkled the water across the baby's head. The feel of the drops tickled the little girl, and she giggled, kicking her legs so much that Malchio-sama could hardly hold on to her, sending a ripple of quiet laughter around the chapel.

After the ceremony, the large crowd of guests moved across to Mwu and Murrue's house, the peace and quiet of the neighbourhoood disturbed for that afternoon. The large wooden picnic table in the garden held plates of party food, all prepared beforehand by Murrue, Lacus, and Kira's mother. The guests wandered around the garden with their paper plates of food, walking among the myriad flowers and trees that seemed to be especially beautiful that humid afternoon. Little Meyrin stared at the roses, her pale lilac eyes widening at the sight of the flowers. "Murrue-san.." she whispered, looking up at the older woman. "When I get married..can I use some of these roses in my bouquet?" Her cheeks flushed pink, and Murrue laughed, pulling the girl close in a hug. "Of course you can. Use as many as you like. I'm sure that Athrun-kun would like that too.." she replied with a wink.

Later that day, Kira announced that he wanted to take a photograph, of Mwu, Murrue and their baby. The boy grinned as he waved the disposable camera, slightly unsteady on his feet from the alcohol Athrun had slipped into his soft drink. At Kira's request, Mwu and Murrue sat together on the ledge at the edge of the fish pond, their daughter in between. But even though the setting was perfect, little Stellar didn't look at the camera, finding the dangling end of her father's tie much more interesting. Her blue eyes danced as the breeze kept blowing the tie out of reach, and she giggled happily. Kira grinned, waving.

"Hey, Stellar-chan! Over here!" The baby looked up at the sound of the familiar voice, and waved back at her 'uncle', still laughing as he snapped the photograph.

When their guests had departed, Mwu made himself busy by clearing up the discarded paper plates and cups left behind on the table. His jacket and tie had long been abandoned, the garments hanging over the back of one of the chairs. Murrue stood at the end of the garden by the fish pond, Stellar held in her arms. The emerging sunlight reflected from her dark auburn hair, and the shimmering light from the pond caught her amber eyes. Stellar was fascinated by the pond, and loved to watch the little goldfish dart about to and fro, hiding in the weed, or swimming to the surface when they were fed. Babbling, she reached out and caught the ends of her mother's hair, rubbing it between her fingers as Murrue sang softly to her.

After a moment, she paused, seeming to be thinking about something. Then, beaming, she looked right into her mother's eyes.

"Mama!" she chirped.

Murrue gasped, eyes widening. _Did..did I just hear that right? Did Stellar... _"What was that, sweetie?" she asked, hardly daring to believe. Little Stellar waved her arms happily. "Mama!" she said again, reaching out and patting Murrue's face with a chubby hand. Murrue hugged the little girl close, sitting down on the pond ledge as tears ran down her cheeks. She never said anything, just sobbed quietly, so happy she couldn't even speak.

"Murrue? What's wrong?" Mwu had noticed her tears, and he walked slowly to where she was sitting, crouching down beside the pond so he could look into his wife's face. She looked up, amber eyes shimmering with tears. "She..she spoke.." she whispered. "She called me 'Mama'..." Her tears overflowed. "Now it really does feel like I'm a mother.."

Mwu grinned in delight, sitting down on the ledge beside her and taking their daughter into his own arms. "That's my clever girl.." he muttered, kissing the baby on the cheek. Stellar smiled, not understanding, and snuggled into her father's arms.

Mwu leaned over, and kissed Murrue on the cheek, taking her hand in his.

"Now can we teach her to say 'Papa'? I feel kinda left out..."

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( Ya lol.

I included the family portrait I promised Lithium and Jadzia I'd write, but never did (sorry, guys) and also my pro-Asumeyrin side. Please, if you're an Asucaga, don't insult me, or flame me. I've had enough of that already.

Please read and review! )


	87. Soul

He was sleeping. Sickbay was dark, but she could see him clearly, the light from the corridor falling across the bed. His hands tied, his sleeping face impassive. She stood there in the dim corridor, one hand on the door frame, watching him as he slept. He had only been brough onto this ship a few days ago, but he had turned her life completely upside down.

_Who is he? He can't be..._She knew..that whoever he was..he couldn't be _him_. But looking at him now, as he twisted around in the covers in his sleep..it was hard to see that. His face was just as innocent in slumber as it had always been - how _Mwu_'s had always been. If it wasn't for the scar that forked across his face, it would be easy to believe that it was really him. And as she watched, his face twitched, and he mumbled something incoherent in his sleep.

Murrue couldn't help smiling. _Just like Mwu..._

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_It was late at night. She was curled up beside him, head nestled on his shoulder. It was her favourite place to sleep, and she knew that he loved it when she snuggled close to him. At the moment, she was dozing, smile on face, feeling warm and happy. Until, all of a sudden, she heard mumbling. She looked up, amber eyes sleepy. "Mwu?" she murmured, rubbing her eyes. "What is it?"_

_He stirred, blinking at her. "Mmmmm? What's wrong?" he asked, voice thick with sleep. _

_"You were talking in your sleep. Are you okay?" she said, eyes fluttering. He smiled. "I'm fine, don't worry. I always do this." He gently stroked her hair until she smiled back drowsily, and snuggled back down, closing her eyes. Mwu chuckled softly, and kissed the top of her head. "Maybe I was dreaming about you..." he whispered._

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This was no good. She couldn't stay here, staring at him, wishing that he would wake up and suddenly remember her. Miracles didn't happen. That man...no, it was no use. Turning away, Murrue left the man to his dreams, whatever they might be, and walked slowly back to her room. Her quarters..they were dark and quiet, almost no sign that anyone lived here at all.

_We had to leave in a hurry..no time to pick up anything, really. Just a change of clothes, essentials. But it's more than that._

Her room had been even emptier during the last war...of material things. But _he_ had been here. Sighing, Murrue sat down on the small bunk, knees drawn up to chest. She stared across the room, eyes fixed on the far wall, but not really seeing anything.

_That man..who is he? Kira-kun is sure he's Mwu..but he can't be. Not the person I knew..the person I loved - still love. My Mwu..he was an idiot sometimes, and immature..but he was also the kindest and gentlest person I knew. Mwu..he would never say the things that man said. He would never make me cry. Because...he said that he loved my smile..._

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_She hated this job. There was so much to do, so much paperwork and reports..and there was never enough time to do it in. Just like always. She hadn't had a break all day, she was tired, hungry, and cross. In short, she was feeling sorry for herself._

_A knock on the door startled her. "Come in!" Running her hands through her dark hair, she glared fiercely at the one who entered. Who held up his hands, eyebrows raised at her anger. "Hey there..what's wrong?" Seeing him, her anger dissipated, and she sighed, slumping against her desk. "Sorry..."_

_Mwu wandered into the room, leaning against the desk she sat at. "Tough day?" he asked mildly. All she could manage was a short laugh, and she looked up at him. "Can you tell?"_

_He laughed at that, the cheerful sound echoing around the small room, seeming to make it brighter. The sound was so infectious, she couldn't help giggling back. Mwu reached out and stroked her cheek gently. "There, you see, don't you feel better now?"_

_"Yes.." she said, smiling. "Thank you." Mwu gazed at her for a moment, a fond look in his blue eyes. "I love your smile..it makes my day brighter. I should be thanking you.."_

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Reaching out to her bedside table, Murrue picked up a framed photograph, wiping away the dust that had gathered on the glass. It was the only picture she had of him..the only image that existed outside of her memories. There he was, on the bridge of the _Archangel_, his hand firmly on her shoulder, playful and cheery smile on his face. Brushing her fingertips against the image of his face, she sighed. That was why this man in sickbay couldn't be Mwu. That man...his face was shut. There was no hint of Mwu's personality, nothing. It was like that man had no soul...

Picking up the uniform hat he left behind, she hugged it close to herself, breathing in the traces of his scent that still clung to the fabric, even after all this time. She didn't understand.

_If that man..if he really isn't Mwu, and he can't be, then why does he look so much like him? He's the living image of him. His voice is the same, the shade of his hair and eyes, even his smell. But it's inside..the part that made Mwu Mwu, that is missing. It's like something stole everything that made him Mwu. The warm and kind person I loved so much..the one who said that he would always be with me..._

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_They sat together on her bed, her head on his shoulder, his chin resting on the top of her head. Neither said anything, just enjoying each other's presence. He had come to visit her, they spending a little time alone together before he left for his own room. She was clad in her nightdress, curled up on top of the covers beside him. He smiled, wrapping an arm around her._

_When it was time for him to leave, he hugged her tight, bringing her close to himself. "Goodnight, Murrue.." he said softly, tilting her chin and kissing her gently. She closed her eyes happily, wrapping her arms around his neck. When they broke apart, she smiled, reaching up and placing her hand on his cheek. Mwu closed his eyes, leaning into her hand._

_"I love you, you know that, right?" he said. She nodded, blushing slightly. He smiled, then his expression became serious. "Whatever happens..I'll always be here. I know, this is war, and we can't control what happens. But..." He hugged her again. "Wherever you are, I promise, I'll always be with you..."_

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Murrue laughed, still clutching the cap. She wished so much, in the days after Jachin Due, that he could be with her again, that some miracle would bring him back to her. And now..her prayers had been answered. Mwu..or someone like him, was here with her again, but he had no heart. No soul.

_It would have been better if he'd just stayed dead..._

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(Angst! Drama! Lol, sorry, but I had to try writing something more serious for a change.

Please read and review! )


	88. Park

( Okay, this story is AU. I know, I know, I've written enough of these. But a thought occurred to me yesterday. Neo-san asked Murrue-san if she wanted to go get some fresh air in phase 46, right? (and a more artful way of asking someone out I've yet to hear) So..what would happen if she took him up on that offer? )

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_Why am I doing this?_

There she stood, in the docking bay of the _Archangel_, wondering for the dozenth or so time why she was here. She picked nervously at the yellow fabric of her T-shirt, her heart racing for no reason. He - the Colonel, had asked her if she wanted to go out and get some fresh air, saying that he would be 'more than happy to accompany her'. The way he had said it, and the smile on his face...had he...?

_Did he...ask me out?_

Sighing, Murrue stared down at the bland grey decking, hands in her pockets. He had been so happy when she agreed to go outside with him, a wide smile on his scarred face. She couldn't very well change her mind and disappoint him now, could she? But this...was this the right thing to do? Leave the ship like this? Why had she agreed to take this walk with him?

"Are you ready to go?" The voice startled her, and she looked up, seeing him standing there. He had removed his uniform jacket, and stood beside a small car, the happy smile back on his face. Without saying anything, she nodded. But he must have seen the worry on her face. "What's wrong?" he asked gently. She shook her head. "Nothing, it's all right." But he wasn't buying it for a moment.

"It's okay, you know. We don't have to go out if you don't want to. It'll be fine to stay here.." he said. His expression was understanding, if a little bit sad. Murrue felt torn.

_Would it really be so bad? Just for a little while?_

"No.." she said, smiling. "I agreed to take a walk with you, didn't I? And it looks like a nice day outside.." Climbing into the car, she suppressed a giggle at his obvious delight as he climbed in beside her, and together, the two drove out of the docking bay, and into the port of Copernicus.

The road into the city was quiet this time of day, and the light streamed brightly through the overhead windows. The breeze caused by the car's motion was cool and refreshing, and Murrue closed her eyes, smiling at how good it felt.

_He's right...I did need this..._

On the outskirts of the city, they stopped at a large park. Neither of them really wanted to walk around the city, Murrue preferring peace and quiet, and Neo not too comfortable around large crowds of people. The scenery in the park was beautiful, wide paths leading to green open spaces, with trees and flower beds around every corner. There was even a duck pond. Murrue smiled happily as the wind rushed past her, carrying the scent of flowers with it. This place was perfect, quiet, peaceful, beautiful setting...and the company wasn't half bad, either...

The Colonel was staring all around himself, at the scenery, the flowers and birds, blue eyes wide and curious like those of a child. Murrue watched him as they walked, wondering just how long it had been since he'd seen anything like this.

"Is this why you wanted to take a walk?" she asked softly. He turned to her, a rueful smile on his face. "I thought..it might help me. I don't remember anything previous to the last two years, and...well.."

Murrue smiled gently. "I understand. And correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think you'll have been able to do this even in the last two years, am I right? He shook his head. "You're right. There was never any time..and back then...I didn't want to. But now.."

The two of them reached a large open space, which a group of small children were using as a football pitch. Sitting down on a bench facing the field, they watched the scene together in silence.

"You know...I just wonder.." he said quietly, eyes fixed on the children playing, "whether I ever did something like that when I was a kid...I don't remember."

"I'm sure that you did.." said Murrue reassuringly. "You'll remember one day."

"But...I don't know if I _want_ to remember. I mean...I do, but.." He sighed, slumping back against the bench. "If I do..if by some chance, I _do_ turn out to be this 'Mwu' that everyone knew...then what happens to _me_? Everyone would be so happy to get 'Mwu' back, I know that. Especially you. But what about me?"

Murrue didn't know what to say. _If he does become Mwu again..I'll be happier than I ever thought possible. But he..the Colonel...he's scared. If Mwu does come back..he'll disappear.._

Neo stared up at the captain, seeing the concern in her deep amber eyes. _I...I want to remember..remember everything about you. But at the same time..I want things to stay as they are..us together like this..._

"I..I don't want people to forget me.." he said softly. "I don't want _you_ to forget me..I couldn't bear that. If I do..become your Mwu again..become someone different..please, don't forget who I was.."

She placed a hand on his arm, a soft touch of compassion and tenderness. "I won't. I promise. And you know, whoever you were before, or will be in the future, who you are now is just as important. So..no-one will forget you."

_It's ironic. She promises never to forget me..but if I am 'Mwu', I did forget **her**..._

"I'm sorry..." he said after a moment. "I asked you to come for a walk so it would make you feel better..but all I've done is unload all my problems onto you. You have enough to deal with..so, I'm sorry."

She only smiled, standing up and stretching. "Don't worry about it. I'm glad I was able to help you..."

Neo grumbled. "I know, but what kind of a date is _this_?" He stood up to join her, the wind whipping through his blonde hair. The captain blushed, eyes widening. "This...this is a date?" she stuttered, and he laughed, feeling much better.

"Yep." he said, taking her small hand in his own. "This is a date."

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( XD.

I know, it was probably OOC, but it was fun to write. Plus...I think that Neo-san must feel kind of insecure when all anyone wants him to be is Mwu, right?

Please read and review! )


	89. Bluebell

The day was warm, spring sunshine shining palely through thin clouds. A light breeze whipped up the sand on the beach, swirling it around and scattering it over the sea. The sunlight streamed down upon a small wooden house perched just above the beach, shining through the windows. In the kitchen of this house, a woman stood preparing lunch, and packing it into a bag. Today..she was going on a picnic. He had mentioned yesterday that if she would make a picnic..then he would take her out on a date.  
Humming to herself, the woman continued packing the lunch carefully into the bag, adding cakes, and a flask full of coffee..even a box of specially-made fruit salad.  
_I wonder where we're going..or even how we'll get there? But...it'll be nice to be alone with him. Lacus-san and Kira-kun were so kind letting Mwu and I stay here...but we're never completely alone. There's always someone else in the house. Today..it'll just be us._

After lunch had been finished, and it was all neatly packed into the bag she carried, Murrue left the house, standing on the dirt track that led to the nearest road. The breeze blew around her legs, and almost carried her hat away, but she held onto it, brushing back the stray strands of auburn hair that had blown across her face. She smiled to herself, wondering where he was planning on taking her today.  
"Hey, pretty lady...want a ride?" She looked up at the sound of his cheerful voice, amber eyes widening as a small red car drove down the track and came to a halt beside her. Mwu leaned across and opened the passenger side door for her, grinning at her obvious surprise.  
"You like it?" he asked, and she nodded. "It's very nice. But...where did you get it?" His blue eyes twinkled.  
"That's a secret.." he replied, and she rolled her eyes, climbing into the car and setting the picnic bag on her knees.  
As the little car sped north, away from the city, the countryside soon took over, green rolling hills replacing built-up city skylines and concrete. Murrue smiled, looking out of the car window at the peaceful surroundings.  
"You look beautiful today.." His voice broke the silence, startling her a little. Mwu was smiling fondly as he drove. "Your dress suits you.." he clarified. Murrue blushed and looked down, picking at the fabric of the red dress she wore. "Lacus-san and Kira-kun bought it for me..for my birthday.." she said, still pink-cheeked, but happy that he liked what she was wearing. After all, it was always nice to be complimented...

The car continued on it's northbound journey, speeding into a valley. As she watched through the window, she could make out the distant shimmer of water through trees, the sun shining from it. "What's that?"  
"'That' is where we're going. I asked around last time I was in the city if there was anywhere nice around here I could take my girlfriend on a date...and they suggested this place.." The car rounded a corner, revealing a large lake surrounded by woodland. The scenery was stunning, with the blossom hanging from the trees, reflected in the water's surface. Murrue gasped, her face lighting up in a huge smile. "Oh..it's beautiful!" The car came to a stop in a sheltered verge beside the road, and together, the pair set off walking, he carrying the picnic bag, their hands entwined.

The dirt path stretched out ahead of them, the air filled with the scents of spring, of fresh growing things, of the muddy water, and wild flowers. The place seemed to be deserted, the only visitors in sight the two of them..no sound except for the singing of birds and the movement of the lake.  
A little way up the path, the bank curved downwards at the side, forming shallows in the water. And in these shallows, ducks paddled, quacking to each other. A swan sailed majestically across the deeper part of the lake, the sunlight dazzling as it shone from the bird's white feathers. Murrue watched with a smile as the ducks fought over a worm on the bank, and reached into the bag Mwu carried.  
"The poor things must be hungry.." Taking out a sandwich, she broke the bread into small crumbs, and scattered it across the water, giggling as the little birds squabbled over the morsels. She moved to take another sandwich, but Mwu caught her hand gently.  
"Hey, come on, we'll have nothing for our own lunch!"

As they stood there, a pair of ducks swam across the lake, close together. The drake nuzzled the female's feathers with it's long beak, and Murrue smiled softly, resting her head on Mwu's shoulder. "They're so happy, aren't they? Do you think we'll be like that?"  
Mwu raised an eyebrow. "What, like ducks?" She laughed, swatting his arm. "You know what I mean..." He nodded, wrapping an arm around her waist. "Yeah, I know." The ducks continued on their little journey, until the female fluffed her feathers, and a crowd of little ducklings appeared, swarming around their parents, high-pitched cheeps echoing across the lake. Mwu glanced down at his girlfriend, who was watching the birds with a gentle, but unreadable expression...almost wistful.

After the ducks had swum out of sight, the couple continued their walk, strolling together in companionable silence. The calls of birds broke the quiet, but other than that, they were completely alone.  
"Was I right to bring you here?" he asked quietly, and she nodded, standing on her tip-toes and kissing his cheek. "Yes. Thank you.." He beamed at the light caress of her lips, and pulled her close in a hug. "You're welcome. Shall we eat lunch now?"  
Murrue leaned her head on his shoulder, laughing, the giggles ringing out across the lake. "You're impossible..."  
Looking around for a clearing in the trees, they found a small hollow, carpeted with bluebells. Gingerly, they sat down, being careful not to crush any of the delicate flowers. Murrue's face was a picture. "They're so beautiful..." She carefully lifted one of the flower blossoms in her fingers, leaning close and breathing in the scent. Mwu grinned as he watched her, pleased that she was clearly so delighted. _I want her to always be this happy..._

_  
_Setting out the picnic upon the grass, the couple ate together, she eating one sandwich for his every two. Murrue clucked at his appetite. "You always eat so much...it's a wonder Lacus-san and Yamato-san can make enough to feed everyone.." He just shrugged, finishing the sandwich. "Well, when we get our own place, that won't matter so much, will it?" She blushed at that, but smiled, shaking her head. "Perhaps not. But I bet you can't cook, can you"  
His silence told her that she was right.

When the picnic lunch had been largely demolished, Murrue displayed the fruit salad she had carefully prepared that morning. "Here, I made this for us to share.." Opening the lid, she offered the fork to Mwu, who simply closed his eyes and opened his mouth.  
"No.." she said with a sigh, "eat it yourself.." Pouting, he took the fork, and speared a strawberry. But instead of eating it himself, he stuck the fruit into her mouth. She gasped in surprise, and he laughed merrily. "See? This is more fun!"  
Chewing the strawberry, she huffed slightly, but fed him a bit of orange to keep him quiet.

"We should do this more often.." she murmured later, lying back on the grass. The day had turned out to be warm, the sunlight dappling through the leaves of the trees. Mwu yawned in reply, lying back beside her and pulling her close. "What, date?"  
She smiled, eyes closed. "I meant this..take walks, be alone together without the world interfering. But...yeah, date..."  
The two lay there together, the combination of warmth, birdsong and floral scents making them sleepy. The bluebells hung over the drowsy couple, one of them tickling Mwu's nose. "We should get up.." he muttered idly. She nuzzled closer. "You're right, we should. But I don't wanna..."  
Opening his eyes, he glanced down at his almost-sleeping girlfriend, one hand stroking her silky dark hair. "Neither do I..." he replied. She sighed, lips curving into a smile. "Love you.." she whispered, one hand curling around the open collar of his shirt. He smiled back, kissing her on the forehead. "Love you too..."

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( Lol, that was waffle, ne?  
The lake makes another appearance. The place is actually real, it's about 8-10 miles away from where I live, a country park called Newmillerdam XD As for the bluebells...they're a pretty flower that grows here in springtime. Check it out on Wiki!

Please read and review! )


	90. Marionette

( Okay, warning. This is going to be at the very least emo, and I'm not sure how it'll all turn out...bear with me, please? )  
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The night was still and quiet, not a breath of wind to disturb the calm surface of the sea. As the hours passed, the moon climbed higher in the sky, casting a silver glow on the sleeping world below. This light streamed through an uncurtained window in a small wooden house near the beach, falling upon the faces of two people curled together on a mattress on the floor of this house. The woman smiled in her sleep, nuzzling closer to the one who held her. Her dreams were pleasant ones, perhaps of the person in who's arms she lay, of him and their new-found hope for the future. But his dreams...they were far from pleasant...they were nightmares. As he slept, he mumbled, scarred face screwed up as though he were in pain.

_He recognised the surroundings. Berlin. The city was filled with fire, the burning remains of buildings, cars...people. The rubble lined the once proud streets of this old city, covering everything that still stood in a fine film of grey dust. As he listened, he could hear screaming mixed with explosions, as he breathed, could smell burning. As he looked down, he could see the black uniform and white gloves he wore, could see the charred, broken bodies of civilians who had done nothing to deserve their fate. Glancing up, he thought he saw someone alive...but it was only his reflection in a shattered shop window. He raised his hands to his face, felt the cold metal of the mask he wore. So much destruction, so much death...and he had caused it.  
**"That's right, Neo. You did all this."** The voice was smooth, oily, and sent a shiver up his spine. Djibril's voice.  
"But I'm...I'm not Neo...Not anymore.." he said, his voice faltering, stuttering. Djibril laughed, the sound mocking. **"Of course you are. Do you think that you can ever escape it?** **You'll always be Neo. A murderer, a soldier blindly following my orders."** He laughed again. Looking down, the man in the black uniform saw thin strings attached to his wrists and ankles.  
**"My puppet. My marionette, dancing to my tune"**  
In the window, he could see his own reflection, and that of another. A woman, long auburn hair blowing over her shoulders, her pristine white and blue uniform out of place in a setting like this. His one ray of hope, light in a dark world. But when he turned around...she wasn't there. **"Of course she isn't. Why would she be? If she knew who you really were - what you really were, she'd hate you, and you know it. What makes you think you deserve the life you have now? What makes you think you deserve her? You don't even deserve to live. All you are is my doll!"** The laughter rose to a crescendo, as everything vanished in flame._

Jerking awake, he sat up, breathing heavily. His skin was covered with cold sweat, and his heart was pounding as though he'd run a marathon. The tiny room was practically silent, the only sounds to be heard his own breathing..and hers.  
Murrue lay beside him, snuggled up against him. Her face wore a small smile, her beauty illuminated by the moonlight. Carefully, he reached out, brushing his fingers against her hair, the smooth skin of her cheek. Her smile grew, and she murmured something he couldn't make out. He sighed, an expression of barely-repressed pain crossing his face. The dream had been right.  
_I don't deserve you. Not to be loved by someone like you..with such a pure heart. I don't deserve to be here.  
_Climbing off the mattress, he paused when she stirred again, reaching out to graze her thin fingers against his arm. Kneeling down, he caressed her cheek again. "It's all right," he whispered. "Go back to sleep"  
Leaving the room, he took one last look at the sleeping woman, then closed the door behind him.  
The house was quiet, all the occupants in their dreams. No-one noticed him pick up something from inside a kitchen drawer, no-one heard him leave. The night was eerily quiet, only the sounds of the waves breaking on the beach to be heard. No clouds interrupted the moon's soft glow, or the scattering of stars across the sky. He smiled a little. It was perfect.  
Atop a high sand dune, he could see the wooden house sitting in the hollow on the sand. Kira and his friends, his family, they'd all been kind enough to let him stay in their house. But he..he didn't belong there. He was a murderer. If anyone had any idea of the things he'd done...

_I should be tried as a war criminal, at the very least. But instead, they ignore that fact..welcome me with open arms. Because of who I was before..But I'm not him. Not anymore. I'm just a puppet.  
_Brushing back blonde hair from his face, he thought of her. He knew that she would be terribly sad when she found out what he had done..the thought of her hating him caused more pain than he had thought it was possible to feel. He couldn't do that to her. Of course, he loved her - adored her, everything about her. She was beautiful, perfect, even. And that was why someone like him didn't deserve her. Murrue needed someone who could give her happiness.  
He smiled again. _If I do this..it'll go some way towards repaying the debt I owe to so many people. And..it'll set her free._

Closing his eyes, he picked up the object he had brought from the house, placing the tip of it to his chest. He knew that a lot of people would be unhappy when they discovered him..but he couldn't live with his guilt anymore. He took a deep breath, preparing himself..then opened his eyes in surprise - as he smelt roses.  
She was kneeling down in front of him, face set and composed, but amber eyes welling with tears. One small hand was wrapped firmly around the knife blade, preventing him from moving it. All she did was stare at him, until he looked away, not able to meet her gaze any longer.  
"I wondered where you were when you didn't come back. I looked everywhere..but I didn't expect to find you here..like this.." she said softly. He frowned, eyes still fixed on the silvery sand. "You..you shouldn't be out here.." he managed to choke out, throat dry.  
"Why not?" she asked, a trace of sarcastic laughter in her voice. "So you can do this alone?"  
He still wouldn't look at her, afraid of the mixed sadness and anger in her face. "I-I...this is payment. For the things I did. I don't deserve to have this life...to be happy." He closed his eyes. "I'm not the same person you knew. I'm just a doll, a puppet. I did so many terrible things...you'd hate me if you knew even a part of them. This..this is all I can do." He finally forced his gaze to meet hers, and smiled sadly. "This way, you don't have me dragging you down. You can find someone else..and be happy."

Murrue gasped, and her hand curled tighter around the knife. "You...you think this will make me happy? You doing this?" A tear ran down her cheek, and her voice shook. He sighed. "I'm a murderer, Murrue. I..you..." Watching him, her angry expression melted into one of...understanding. Gently, she reached out for the knife, and turned it around in his hand until it was pointing at her own chest.  
"If you do this..." she said, brushing the back of her other hand against his face, "then take me with you. Don't leave me all alone again." Her face was calm, determined. He blinked, not sure what to do or say. _My life..it's worth nothing. But **hers** is...  
_Murrue smiled. "We said 'together', right? Well, together should mean together. I've lost you before, and I won't lose you again. So, if you're going, then take me with you."  
He looked down, not sure why there was a lump in his throat. "But why? I..." Her smile was gentle, fond. "Do you have any idea how much I love you? How much I missed you when you were gone? When you came back, I decided. That wherever, whatever..I'd stay by your side. Even...if it means _this_." Carefully, she began to take the knife from his limp fingers, and the metallic object fell to the sand forgotten. Pulling him close, she rested his head on her chest, stroking his long blonde locks softly.

"It doesn't matter..." she whispered. "Whatever you did, it doesn't matter. How could I ever hate you? And this isn't the answer. Everyone has one life..that's all. So they have to live their lives the best way they can, right to the end. No matter how painful it can be. It's the same for everyone"  
He laughed, the sound bitter. "But what if you feel that life isn't worth living? If you feel you have nothing to live for?" She didn't reply right away, her fingers still entwined in his hair. Then, so quietly that he barely heard her above the sound of the sea, she spoke.  
"I'm here, aren't I?"  
He looked up at her, seeing her dark eyes filled with pain, sorrow. Then he understood._ I can live..for her. Because she doesn't deserve to be alone. Because my death would - did - cause her pain and sadness. To me, my life is worth nothing. But to her...it's everything. If I had to choose one reason to keep on living..it would be for **her**. That's something my nightmares never mention. They come up with any number of reasons why living is meaningless..but they never come up with a reason why living is important. But now I know. My life is important...because **she** shares it with me._

"Thank you...and..I'm sorry.." he whispered, pulling her close in a hug. "You're right"  
"You're no puppet." she said, smiling again. "A puppet has no feelings. Your remorse..regret, proves that you're as real as anyone else. No-one controls you. And if you ever feel this way again, then just remember that I'll be here with you, okay?"  
He nodded, taking her hand. Then he frowned again. Her hand was wet? Opening his fingers, he saw the reason..saw the blood. A gash ran across the palm of her hand from where she had grabbed the knife.  
"You're hurt..because of me. I'm so sorry.." he said, leaning against her again. "I always seem to be hurting you"  
"No...it's all right, " she said, kissing the top of his head. "This doesn't matter..it's only a scratch"  
_You're so special.. he thought, closing his eyes. After all I've done to you..left you alone for so long, forgot all about you..and now this, you still love me. Still stay by my side after everything. The dream did get one thing right..I really don't deserve you. But I'm so glad that you're here..._

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( That was weird to write. Hope it's not too weird. I just wondered, that's all. We never hear anything about the things Mwu did as Neo-san, but everyone assumes they must have been really bad...I'm sure that if they were that bad..he'd feel so guilty.  
Please read and review! )


	91. The Next Evening

They sat together on the small, overstuffed sofa, side by side, mugs of coffee in their hands. It was late at night, the sky outside pitch-black and scattered with stars. They sat close, but not too close, the silence present, but not awkward. She stared down into the mug she held, the swirling steam rising from the hot liquid. He had come in here around ten minutes ago, not giving a reason why. But she knew.

Because...he wanted to be with her.

Their relationship was no more than fledgling, their first kiss fresh in their memories. He was happy, taking every opportunity he could to be by her side. She was shy still, a little uncomfortable, dipping her toes into the idea of being with someone again after the time she had spent alone...her own decision to be alone. But he had charmed his way into her heart without her even noticing. The first time she realised what had happened...was when he had been transferred away from the ship. She had cried then, not able to understand or deal with the pain she had felt. Then had come the anger, for letting herself fall for him, for not being more cautious, for him being a pilot..for so many things, really. But all of that..it had only reminded her of the inescapable fact that, no matter what the reasons, or how much she hadn't wanted it to happen, she had fallen in love with him. And...and he had come back to the ship. But why?

_When I asked him, he kissed me. Is that his answer? Because of me? Or...was it something else?_

He set his coffee mug down, and leaned back against the sofa. Closing his eyes, he sighed in contentment, then his large mouth stretched in a yawn. She hid a smile. He was no night owl, that was for sure, nor was he a skylark. She had known for a while now that he could sleep all day if someone let him. As she watched him, he opened one blue eye, peeking up at her, and smiled. She buried her face in the mug she held, annoyed at the pink that had flushed her cheeks. He lazily reached out and took her hand, rubbing her fingers gently, then brought that hand to his lips and placed a soft kiss upon it. He looked up at her again, and grinned at her blush.

Setting down her empty mug, she turned back to him. "So, now will you tell me?" she asked. Mwu opened both eyes at that sudden question, perplexed frown on his face. "Tell you what?"

"Why you came back..."

He sat up straighter. "Why are you asking that? You know why..." She shook her head. "But you didn't _say_ anything. I don't know why, whether it was for the ship, or another reason.."

He sighed, stretching out. "I thought you'd know, but it wasn't for the ship. I was on my way back before I even found out about Cyclops." She tipped her head to the side at that, confused. "You were?" He nodded. "I was coming back..because I realised something. Forgot something. Saying goodbye to you..was the most painful thing I've had to deal with in a long time. It hurt more than anything."

She blushed again, looking down at her lap, and their still-entwined hands. She'd felt the same way, she knew...but how to tell him? He heart, her tongue...they felt tied in knots. He smiled again. "I came back for you..."

Mwu reached up and lightly ran the tips of his fingers along her cheek, then took a lock of her dark brown hair in those fingers, winding it around them. "You were sad too..weren't you?" he asked quietly. "When I left...I saw your tears. I didn't know whether you were sad for the same reason that I was...but I hoped..."

She smiled a little, knowing that the expression didn't reach her eyes. "If you _had_ left...had gone to California...would it really have been so bad?" Mwu blinked in surprise. "Huh? What do you mean?"

"Well..." she said, looking down again, "you'd have been safe then...away from the war. And California...is my home. I could have come and visited you." He grinned at that, his fingers unwinding from her hair and taking her hand again. "That could have been nice, I guess..." Then he became serious. "But if I had gone..it wouldn't have been like that, would it?"

She squeezed amber eyes shut, then opened them again, leaning back and staring at the bland grey ceiling.

_He's right. If he hadn't come back the way he did...let us know about Cyclops..this ship would have been destroyed. We would have been dead. He, and Kira-kun...they saved us all._

"I never thanked you, did I?" she said, turning her head to glance at him. "You saved us, and I never..." She was cut off when he gently laid a finger on her lips. "You don't have to thank me. I came back for purely selfish reasons...to be with you. Finding out about Cyclops was coincidental. Serendipity, really." He reached out again, stroking her cheek. She looked down, her hands twisting together in her lap out of embarrassment. Mwu smiled, and, sitting up, carefully tilted her chin so she was looking right at him. "It was all for you. Because I didn't want to say goodbye." Drawing her close to him, other arm warmly wrapped around her waist, he kissed her. She sighed happily, giving in to him, closing her eyes as their kiss deepened.

_It's strange. How did we get so close so quickly? Our first kiss was only a day or so ago, but we're like this already. As though we've been together for months. Maybe...maybe it's because this was waiting to happen? Because it was inevitable? Whatever the reason, I'm happy like this, happy just to be with him. It broke my heart when he left..but he came back. Came back to be with **me**._

When their kiss finally broke, Mwu leaned back against the sofa, pulling her with him. His blue eyes were fluttering, and his head was nodding, resting on the cushioned back of the sofa. She smiled a little again, the expression warm and fond, and carefully rested her head on his shoulder, nestling herself close. He made a happy noise, and closed his eyes. A blonde curl fell across his face, which looked completely innocent in sleep, like a child's.

_I should be more careful. I know the danger of falling in love with a soldier..I should have been more distant. But now...it's too late._

Despite her misgivings, she couldn't just ignore how she felt. She could try, certainly, but knew that it would hurt him..and herself. Whatever happened, happened, right?

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( :shrugs: This is an odd one, but I thought it might be nice. And since yesterday's was written from Mwu's point of view, today I wanted it to be Murrue-san's.

Please read and review! )


	92. Passage of Time

The hospital waiting room was painted a light cream, the uncomfortable plastic chairs not helping the anxiety of the four people crammed into them. One of these figures sighed, leaning back as far as the moulded plastic would let him, squeezing the hand of the woman who sat beside him. The woman smiled, laying a reassuring hand on his arm.

"Don't worry so much, it's going to be all right.." He turned to her, blue eyes filled with frustration and concern. "But.." he started, voice holding a trace of a whine, "it's been _hours_..." He tipped his head in the direction of the younger man, sitting beside his own wife in the chairs opposite. "This is all **your** fault.."

"_My_ fault?" retorted the other man. "How is it _my _fault?" He huffed, leaning back in his own chair, violet eyes showing the same frustration. His wife sighed, placing her head in one hand. The younger man scowled. "Go on, Mwu-san, tell me. How is this _my_ fault?"

The man opposite shrugged. "Well, if your kid hadn't proposed to her..we wouldn't all be sitting here like this, would we?"

The woman beside him shook her head, amber eyes holding amusement. "Be reasonable. You can't blame Kira-kun for this." Mwu sighed, slumping back in the chair. "I know. But I wish there was something we could _do_ instead of just sit here..."

"She has Siegel with her..." said Murrue softly. "He's all she needs.."

But it had been several hours. Several hours since both couples had gotten the call, and met up here in the waiting room. But there had been no news. Kira and Mwu had been reduced to pacing up and down the polished linoleum floor, while Murrue and Lacus had just chatted, ignoring the growing impatience of their husbands.

"Excuse me..." A young nurse had entered the waiting room, smiling knowingly as four pairs of eyes snapped up to meet hers, "it's all right now. You can go in and see them."

As impatient as Kira and Mwu had been before..now they were scared. Murrue smiled inwardly as he took her hand, almost squeezing the circulation from it. "Relax..." she soothed. Walking the short distance down from the waiting room, down a harshly-lit white corridor, they were ushered into a small room by the smiling nurse. "Here you are..." was all she said as they walked hesitantly inside.

The room was warm and softly lit, the only furniture a small bed and dresser. And in the bed...

A young woman, long blonde ringlets plastered to her face with sweat, face exhausted, but bright and happy, blue eyes sparkling. She held a tiny wrapped bundle in her arms. She smiled happily as Mwu and Murrue approached carefully.

"Mom...Dad..look!" A tear trickled down her cheek, and she brushed it away with the back of her hand. Her parents understood that feeling well, the feeling of being a parent, of a life created by you and the one you love. And as they watched, Lily turned to look up at her own husband, a young man with light blue eyes. The man grinned, a bundle held in his own arms. And as one, the four visitors gasped. "Twins?"

The man laughed, looking across at Kira and Lacus. "Why are you so surprised, Dad? You and Aunt Cagalli were twins, after all.." Kira sighed, rubbing his face. "Yeah, but our situation was...different. Why didn't you and Lily tell us it was twins?"

Siegel rolled his eyes. "I didn't know. Lil didn't even tell _me_!" Lily laughed, shifting the baby to the other arm. "Surprise!"

Stepping forward, Murrue peeked around the blanket to take the first real look, and her daughter smiled. "Here, Mom, you hold her. She's called Madelaine.." The baby was sound asleep, tiny, but perfect. As she held her granddaughter, Murrue leaned down and kissed the little face, tears running down her face. "She's so beautiful..." Mwu leaned over his wife's shoulder, grinning at the child. Then he looked across at the baby Siegel held. "What about.." The young man smiled. "He's her brother. We called him Haruma." Kira blinked at that, then smiled. "Thanks. Mom will love that.."

Handing Madelaine back to her mother, Murrue sat beside Lily's bed. "How are you feeling?" The young woman rolled her eyes. "Tired."

Murrue was about to say something more, when the door opened again, two people clattering in. The first, a tall, beautiful woman with long dark hair, caught sight of the two babies, and squealed loudly, almost waking them up. "They're so cute!" she said happily, leaning over to take a good look at her new niece and nephew.

"Better be careful, Sis.." came a voice from the doorway. A young man, amber eyes catching the light. He waved a hand, encompassing the room and everything in it. "You'll be wanting this next. Isn't it time you got your act together?"

Stellar stood up straight, scowling at her little brother. "That's the last time I give _you_ a lift!" she hissed, cheeks pink. Alexander just laughed, crossing the room to check on the babies. "They're so teeny..." He looked backwards at his parents. "Were _we_ like this?"

Mwu nodded, holding his hands a foot apart, and Alex whistled. "Man.."

Leaving the new parents to their children, the little group left the room, walking down the corridors, still silent in awe and happiness. Stellar looked out of the window, her blue eyes catching the light from the risen moon. "It hardly seems real.." she breathed. "That out of all of us, Lil was the one to grow up first. And she's so happy with her life. Me..I'm just carrying on as I was, as I have been for years." She smiled. "Lil and her best friend became sweethearts, got married and had children...and I'm just a schoolteacher, still alone. " She looked to the side, to where her mother was standing, and sighed. "Guess I'm feeling sorry for myself, huh?"

Murrue only smiled, glancing up as her husband took her hand. "Don't worry.." she said gently. "You have all the time in the world. And you never know just when you'll meet that special person..." Stellar nodded as she gazed at her parents. They had been together for almost thirty years, and still behaved as though they were sweethearts still. "I hope one day..I can be as happy with someone as you and Dad are together.." she said wistfully.

Later that evening, Mwu and Murrue sat together on the edge of the pond in the garden, looking up at the stars. He shook his head, still not able to believe it. "We're..._grandparents..._" He heard her soft laughter, and glanced down at her. "Yes, we are. Isn't it wonderful?" Her amber eyes, still so clear and bright, brimmed with tears of happiness. Slipping an arm around her, he brought her close. He sighed. "But she's still just a kid _herself_, and..." He laughed. She nestled her head on his shoulder.

"You've never quite forgiven them for growing up, have you? That Stellar became a teacher, or that Alex is at the pilot academy, already almost as good a pilot as you were, or that Lily is married..." She looked up at him. "But doesn't it make you happy? Seeing what they've done with their lives? _Our _children?"

"Yeah..." He looked up at the stars again. "So..how long has it been, princess?" She smiled at the pet name, looking up with him. "Nearly thirty years. It's been a long time, hasn't it?"

"I'm old.." he whined, and Murrue giggled. "No you're not. Besides, would you swap all this?"

"No, " he replied, nuzzling close and breathing in the scent of roses. "Not for the world. These years...they've been so full of fun, happiness. Being with you, watching our kids grow up. And now..now we can watch our _grandkids_ grow up." He stared down at her, at the grey threading it's way through her dark auburn hair, at the lines on her face. But to him, she could never be anything other than perfect, the same as she had been all those years ago, when they had first met and fallen in love. And he knew without asking that it was the same for her.

Instead of fading with the passage of time, their love had only grown stronger, an unbreakable bond that would last forever, for the eternity they had promised each other...

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( Now, don't ask me where that idea came from, 'cos I've no idea. I just thought it might be nice.

Thanks to my chibi buddy Kira-D for letting me borrow Siegel, and thanks to big sis Jadzia for sticking with me and reading _every _one of my stories, no matter how badly-written or cheesy they might be XD

Please read and review ! )


	93. Healing

It was late at night. Her shift had ended just half an hour ago, and she could hardly keep her eyes open. Today had been long, and painful...and she wanted it to end as soon as possible. As she stood at the mirror in her cabin's tiny bathroom, running a brush through her thick auburn hair, she caught sight of it out of the corner of her eye. It sat there on her nightstand, an unassuming silver locket, the only thing unusual about it it's shape. A coffin, engraved with a red rose. As she stared at it, Murrue pressed a hand to her chest, frowning at the pain the memories brought back. _And today is..._

A quiet knock at the door broke her concentration, jolted her mind away from the sad thoughts. Crossing the floor, she opened the door, looking up at her visitor as the portal slid open. "Commander? What's wrong?"

Mwu smiled cheerfully at her, leaning against the doorframe. "You want to chat for a bit?" he asked. She blinked, surprised. "What, now? It's late, you know.." He just grinned, gesturing to the nightdress she wore. "I know. I can see that." Looking down at herself, Murrue flushed with embarrassment as she remembered what she was wearing. "I..I..well.." Mwu just laughed. "It's okay..you don't have to be shy."

Still red-faced, she stepped back and allowed him to enter, still not sure why she was letting him in. This was..the first time he'd ever been in her room, after all. But the thought of someone coming down the corridor, and seeing her talking to him...dressed like _this_...well, almost anything was preferable to that.

Seeing him sitting there at the chair beside her desk, she smiled a little, wrapping a robe around herself. "So, " she asked softly, "what did you want to talk about?" He smiled back at her, watching her sit down on the edge of her bed, robe pulled around herself to cover her bare legs. Mwu shrugged. "Just stuff, really.." She raised an eyebrow at the evasive answer. "No, there's a reason why you came here, I can tell. You look as though you want to ask me something."

He looked at her curiously. "How did you know?" Murrue shook her head. "It's written all over your face. You're no good at hiding things, you know that?"

Sighing, a sheepish grin on his face, he leaned back into the chair. "Well...I wanted to try and cheer you up. Today..you seem different. Sort of lost, lonely. You always do look lonely, but today it's been clearer than normal." He pointed to the locket on her nightstand. "And you've been holding onto that a lot more today...and looked so sad when you did." He glanced back at her, blue eyes showing concern. "Are you okay?"

She gasped at that, staring down at her lap. He had been able to tell that she was sad..how? She'd hidden it well, she thought, no-one else had seemed to notice it. But he..

_Maybe I'm not as good at hiding things as I thought. Or maybe..I just can't hide them from **him**..._

"The..the person who gave me this locket.." she stuttered, looking down at her bare feet. "Today...would have been his birthday. Would have been..if he hadn't... So I guess I'm just feeling sorry for myself..remembering the past." She looked back up at Mwu, forcing a smile onto her face. But the fixed expression faded when she saw the stricken look on his own face.

"I'm sorry.." he said, moving across to where she sat, and kneeling in front of her. "I shouldn't have asked you about it...it's none of my business.." He stood up to leave, only stopping when Murrue grabbed his hand.

"No.." she said quietly. "It's okay. You don't have to leave. " She swiped at a single tear rolling down her cheek, and stood up to join him. "It's okay.." she repeated, wrapping her arms around him in a hug. Mwu sighed, leaning into her embrace. "I wish..that I could help you more. Help you not feel so lonely all the time. I can always see it in your eyes."

Murrue rested her head on his shoulder, smiling gently. "You _do_ help me. I never feel lonely when I'm with you, and I'm so grateful for that I don't know what to say.."

Mwu finally smiled back, wrapping his own arms around her tightly. "I'm glad. I might not be able to heal all your pain, or take all your loneliness away, but if I can see you smile, then I know I've done something right.."

The two stood there for several minutes, enjoying the feeling of being with each other, then he reluctantly released her, turning to leave the room. At the doorway, he turned to look at her, noticing how small and alone she looked.

"Do.." he asked hesitantly, "do you want me to stay here tonight?" Murrue's amber eyes widened for a split second, her cheeks reddening. After a moment, she nodded, the movement so imperceptible he barely saw it. Smiling, he came back across to sit beside her on the bed, slipping an arm around her. "You don't want to be alone tonight, do you?" he asked, getting his answer when she snuggled up to him, her head on his shoulder

After a few moments, she let go of him and climbed into bed, looking up at him expectantly. Mwu coughed, and looked away. "Shouldn't I sleep on the sofa or something?"

Without a word, she shook her head, cheeks pink. She didn't look at him, but she did smile shyly. He was surprised at her boldness, the unexpected affection..but then again, it was just the two of them. She didn't have to hide anything behind rules and regulations, behind her role as captain...at this moment, she was just Murrue.

Carefully, he climbed into the bed beside her, tentatively slipping an arm around her. She sighed happily, nuzzling close to him. He felt so warm, and smelled good. And as she rested her head on his chest, she could hear the steady thump of his heart.

"Thank you.." she murmured drowsily, smiling at the contented feeling that washed over her..knowing that for this night at least, she wasn't alone, she was safe, protected by the arms of the one she had come to love.

Mwu smiled too, leaning down and kissing her forehead softly. "You're more than welcome. Goodnight.." he whispered.

_I know that I can never completely heal her heart, take away all her pain. But I'll take care of her always._

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( That probably made zero sense. But I've written some pretty serious stories over the last few days, so mindless fluff won't hurt.

Please read and review! )


	94. Learning

The bright morning sunlight shone palely through the trees, the air holding a sharp coolness not yet taken away by the daylight. Standing on the balcony of a red-brick house, a man stared down into the large garden, smiling as a figure came into view. This figure wore a lacy white nightdress, the dew from the grass sparkling on her bare feet. She reached into a bag she carried, scattering crusts of bread over the ground. And after a few minutes, the fluttering of tiny wings could be heard, as birds flew down from the trees to peck at the food that had been put out for them. The woman laughed, the sound of her giggle music to the man's ears.

"I guess they love you too, huh?" he called. The woman turned up to him, shading amber eyes from the sunlight. "I thought you were asleep?" she asked, still laughing.

Mwu just grinned. One of the birds fluttered right by Murrue's feet, the breeze from it's wings tickling her. Mwu pointed. "See, they love you too..they're not scared of you." She smiled innocently up at him. "Are you jealous?" she asked. He paused, seemingly thinking about it, then nodded, blue eyes twinkling. Shaking her head, she threw up one of the breadcrusts to where he was standing.

"Hey!" he complained, scowling. "That wasn't what I meant!" She only laughed again, walking off into the garden.

Later, as he was sitting outside, he heard soft humming from the kitchen, and could smell something sweet. Peeking in the open doorway, Mwu could see Murrue mixing something in a bowl. It smelled great...like cookie dough. Very carefully, he sneaked up behind her, and reached out to steal just a little bit.

"Don't you dare." she said mildly, without even looking at him. He slumped, disappointed. "No fair..."

Murrue sighed, rolling out the prepared mixture, and placing neatly shaped rounds on the baking tray. "You didn't help make them, so you're not getting any dough. Besides, it's bad for you." She huffed, putting the tray in the oven, and turned to face him. "Tell you what. Why don't I teach you how to make these?" Mwu blinked. "What, me?" She smiled. "Yes, you. You'll have to learn how to cook eventually, so why don't you start with your favourite?"

So that was how he ended up, standing at the wooden worktop, with a bowl, spoon, and various bags of ingredients around him. He screwed his face up, turning to his girlfriend, who stood beside him. "So...what do I do now?"

She smiled cheerfully. "Just follow the instructions in the book." She helped him measure out the right amount of flour and sugar, and tipped it into the bowl. "Now, just mix those together, okay?"

Hesitantly, Mwu began to stir the mixture, moving carefully. Murrue rolled her eyes. "You don't have to _tickle_ it...Okay, now add the butter."

"What do I do now, keep mixing?"

"Nope," she replied. "You have to rub that in." She demonstrated with a small part of the mixture, then giggled at Mwu's expression. "It's really not that bad.." He put his hands into the bowl, and screwed his scarred nose up. "This feels weird.."

"All you have to do is mix it till it feels like breadcrumbs. Then it's the fun part." she told him, reaching up and kissing him on the cheek. She smelled like baking, like sugar and vanilla, and he closed his eyes. "You smell good.." he said, wrapping her in his arms and nuzzling her neck. Of course, he'd forgotten his hands were covered in cookie dough...but she didn't seem to mind.

After their little 'moment', he finished his dough, adding currants, and an egg to bind it all together. Murrue just smiled as she watched him, taking her own finished cookies from the oven, and placing them on a cooling rack.

"Now, roll that out till it's flat, and then you use the cookie cutters..hey!" She lightly slapped his hand as he started stealing bits of the mixture. "Quit that, or there won't be any left to bake!"

All Mwu did was pout, and she shook her head, hiding a smile. _He's such a child..._

Placing the tray in the oven, Murrue turned to him. "Now, leave those for 15 minutes. 15, okay?" He nodded meekly.

She was out in the garden, watering her flowers, when she heard a delighted shout from the kitchen. He ran out of the house, picking her up and swinging her around. She giggled, dropping her watering can. "It's only cookies, honey.." she told him. Mwu just shook his head, blue eyes dancing with happiness. "It's not just the cookies. It's everything, all of this. You, me, this place, this life, it's just..." He pulled her closer and kissed her, still twirling her around. Dizzy and laughing, he ended up falling over onto the grass under the trees.

"I'm glad you're happy again..." said Murrue, when she had recovered her breath. "Before...you looked so lost, so alone. And there was nothing I could do to help.." Mwu reached out from where he lay, and took her hand, rubbing her fingers gently. "You were the same, though, weren't you?" He turned his head to look at her, brushing long blonde hair from his face. "But it's gone now, I see.."

"What has?" she asked, frowning slightly.

"The loneliness.." he replied. "Even before, when we were together, it was still always there. But now...it's gone."

She looked up, one small hand shading her face from the sun shining through the trees. "It's because I don't feel that way anymore. Before...even though you were there, there was still fear. Fear that I would lose everything." She turned back to face him, a smile on her beautiful face. "But now..there's nothing to be afraid of."

Smiling back, he took her hand again, pulling her close. They lay there together for a little while, eyes closed, until he felt her fingers running along the scar on his face. Her touch was gentle and loving, and he murmured happily. "You know..they said that I could have that removed if I wanted..the scar. What do you think?"

"Isn't it up to you?" she replied softly. "Do you want it removed?"

He shrugged, the gesture reduced to a twitch of the shoulders. "It doesn't bother me, really. I just wanted to know what you think.."

"Well.." she said, "it doesn't bother me, either. In fact, I like it. It's a sign of bravery, isn't it? And it doesn't change the person you are inside..." Gently, she kissed the scar, and he smiled.

"Thank you...for everything." he said. "For all this, and for teaching me how to make cookies." Murrue laughed. "You're welcome. Now, shall I teach you housework?"

His only reply was a groan.

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( Lol.

Please read and review! )


	95. Sharing

The little room was dark and quiet, the only sounds to be heard light breathing from the two people sitting on the bed. The two had been looking forward to this all day...as night was the only time they were really able to be together. Their duties often kept them apart, they not able to spend more than a few snatched moments with each other during the day. But nights...were different.

She was sitting close to him, her head resting comfortably on his shoulder, peaceful smile on her face. His arms were wrapped tightly around her waist, and as she closed her eyes happily, he lifted her up slightly so she was sitting in his lap. She murmured softly, and he smiled, tightening his embrace. She was very thin..and he wondered why sometimes, but he could imagine the reason.

_She runs herself ragged..it seems like she's in three places at once sometimes. It can't be good for her, always at the beck and call of the crew. It tires her out. And this is all I can do for her..._

Mwu sighed heavily, causing Murrue to open her eyes and look up at him. "Hmmm? What's wrong?" she asked, taking his hands in her own. He shook his head, smiling ruefully. "Nothing. I was just...wishing that you weren't captain, that's all."

She leaned back against him, and looked up at the ceiling, playing with his fingers. "And why is that?"

In reply, he hugged her closer, nuzzling his face into her dark hair, breathing in her scent. "'Cause I always have to share you with everyone else, that's why. I don't want to anymore.." he grumbled, voice holding a trace of a whine. "I want you all to myself..."

Murrue giggled. "That's selfish. You know there's nothing we can do about it. I have to be there for everyone who needs me." She turned back to look at him, amusement in her amber eyes. "Except at night..."

Mwu nodded, grinning. At night..he _didn't_ have to share her. At night, she wasn't the Captain...she was just Murrue. Sometimes, she seemed like a completely different person off duty. Not the dignified commander of a battleship, distant and polite, but a happy, gentle person, loving and affectionate. And the only one she ever showed that side to was _him_...

"And even in the daytime.." she mused, causing him to look down at her, "you have my heart." Her cheeks were bright pink, and her gaze was focused on their entwined hands. "No-one else shares that..." He smiled at that, knowing how embarrassed saying something like that made her, and also how much it cost her to say it.

"Thank you.." he whispered, leaning down and kissing her neck lightly. She closed her eyes, her happy murmur turning to giggles when he unzipped her uniform jacket, removing it and running his fingers up her bare arms. "That tickles..." Turning around to face him, she leaned down, her fingers twined in his blonde hair. Brown eyes met blue for what seemed like eternity, then she smiled, kissing him. As the kiss wore on, his hands trailed down her body to her legs, working to remove the grey uniform stockings.

Then...the door buzzer sounded.

Startled, the two of them broke apart, staring at each other for a moment. Then Murrue laughed, resting her forehead on his shoulder. Mwu groaned. "Damn..just when it was getting good, too." He kissed her lightly, then got up off the bed. Quietly, Murrue tip-toed across to the bathroom and closed the door, hiding.

She could hear the sound of the door opening, and a voice she couldn't make out. Mwu chatted for a while, then ostentatiously yawned, mumbling that he was tired, and that he'd sort whatever it was out in the morning. Murrue stifled a giggle as she heard Mwu bid goodnight to his visitor, and the door closing.

"Are you really that tired?" she asked innocently, coming out of the bathroom. Walking up to where he stood, she hugged him from behind, getting her arms around as far as she could reach. "So.." she said, "it looks like _I_ have to share _you_, huh?" Laughing, he turned around and lifted her up in his arms.

"Not tonight. I told them I didn't want to be disturbed..." Laying her down on the bed, he pulled off his uniform jacket and undershirt, then laid down beside her, his lips meeting hers in another kiss.

"Tonight.." he whispered in her ear, his breath tickling and making her giggle again, "no more sharing..."

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( Hehehehehehehe. Well, I promised big sis there'd be lime, and I hope she likes it XD

I hope everyone else likes it too! Please read and review! )


	96. Dreaming

The man lay fast asleep, long limbs tangled in the bedsheet. And as he slept, he dreamed, scarred face screwed up in confusion. Images, flashes of people and places he didn't recognise, unfamiliar to him, danced across his mind in the dreams.

He saw the arms of a small boy, who he assumed was himself, climbing a tree, then standing on a spread-out branch to look at the scenery below. This place sprawled out before him, a garden that seemed to stretch on forever, with a large, stone built mansion-like house in the background. This place was grand, certainly, and the boy knew that it was his home. But the man who was dreaming didn't understand.

_What is this place? Is this where I lived? But try as I might, I could never remember my childhood before. So why now?_

More confusing flashes, never lasting more than a moment, gossamer threads of memory weaving themselves together, then apart again in a dizzying jumble. He saw people staring down at him, their faces sometimes sad, then angry, but never really smiling. The boy in the dream knew that it was because no-one wanted him, no-one liked him..they either hated or pitied him.

The man dreaming frowned, experiencing the same feelings as the boy. He saw a fire, a huge inferno that swallowed up his home, and felt fear, sadness, and a hollow emptiness in his heart. He blamed himself. Overriding guilt, even though he knew there was nothing he could have done to change this. Looking up, he saw a blonde man scowling down at him, face twisted with withering disapproval. The boy knew that this man hated him, but he didn't know why.

Laughter, harsh and bitter, filled his ears, then rose up the scale until it became screaming, the sound one of agony.

The man awoke with a start, sitting bolt upright in the bed. The small room was dark, the clock on the nightstand showing that it was still late at 'night'. His hands were clutching the bedsheet tightly, his breathing hitched as though he'd just run a race. His T-shirt was plastered to his body with icy sweat.

_What the hell **was** that? What did I see? Was it just a dream, or did that actually happen once?_

Wiping the sweat from his forehead, he lay back down. His heart was still racing, and the flashes of images he'd seen in the dream had left him with a slight headache. He shook his head, trying to clear it of the irrational worry.

_That won't help. It was only a dream, whether it was made from memories or not. It was a nightmare._ Closing his blue eyes, he settled back down to get more sleep, even though he was almost afraid to...

This dream...was different. He could hear laughter again, but this time, the sound was soft and gentle. He couldn't see anything, just blackness, but something warm covered his eyes. He raised his hands to his face...then heard the giggle from behind him. He realised that what covered his eyes..were someone's fingers. Taking the small hands in his own, his dream self laughed back, and turned around. Standing before him, in front of a large window that showed the vista of space, was a woman. Her dark hair floated in the zero-gravity, and her beautiful face was lit up in a loving smile.

And in his sleep, the man smiled back.

Waking up the next morning, he focused his gaze on the ceiling of his room. He knew who he had seen, knew very well, in fact. But what he wasn't sure about was _why_ he'd seen her. But it made him smile again. He'd imagined that quite a lot, her smiling at him with the same love she had shown in that photograph...

He sighed, hand over his eyes. _I realise...that what I saw were memories. But only flashes, bits and pieces. It's frustrating..I feel like I'm so close to remembering, but I can't quite manage it. Two lives running parallel..._

But he knew which life he would want, if he was given the choice. Neo...had always been alone. He had rarely smiled, and rarely spoken, instead letting other people imagine what he was thinking. People...had been scared of him. But his other life...Mwu's life..he had come to see how different it had been. People had respected him, thought of him as a friend, even loved him. Here..caught between two lives..he was beginning to realise that Neo's life..his life in the Alliance..hadn't really been a life at all...

He knocked gently on the office door, hearing the tapping from within. A soft voice called out "Come in!".

Opening the door, Neo smiled. She was sitting at her desk, face intent, amber eyes focused on the computer. As the door closed behind him, the Captain looked up, and smiled back. It wasn't the same loving, tender expression he had seen in the dream, and in the photograph, but it was cheerful and friendly. The smile made his heart skip.

"Good morning Colonel.." said the Captain gently. Neo nodded. "Good morning, captain. Would you like some coffee?"

The two sat there together on the little sofa, sipping their drinks in companionable silence. Neo peeked over the rim of his mug at the woman beside him, and winked when she looked up at him.

_If I had the choice, I'd stay here forever. I asked to stay by her side..and that's where I always want to be. And..she doesn't mind it.._

"Are you all right?" He blinked in surprise at her sudden question. "Huh?"

"You look..tired. Are you okay?" she asked, concerned.

Neo smiled. She could always see right through him. "I'm fine.." he assured her. "Just didn't sleep so well. Weird dreams."

The Captain nodded. "I see..."

"I saw you there.." he said conversationally, as if it was of no importance. Her cheeks pinked a little. "Oh?" she asked, trying her best not to sound interested. He grinned. "Yup." He glanced across at her, amusement in his eyes. "You were smiling..looked very happy."

The captain looked down at her coffee, blush deepening. Neo chuckled. "Why the blush?"

She didn't answer him, evidently finding the swirling surface of her drink more interesting. But Neo was happy anyway. She was embarrassed that he had dreamed of her, but not angry...

_Maybe..she's happy I dreamed about her?_

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( :grins: Now..this was another random idea. But it sure was fun to write. I figured that the longer Neo-san was on the _Archangel_, the more he would eventually remember. And dreams are an excellent place for long-forgotten memories to resurface, after all.

Please read and review! )


	97. Petulance

She trudged wearily up the stone flags of the garden path, seeming not to notice the beauty of the flowers as they waved in the breeze. Her bag felt as though it contained bricks, and her head hung low, auburn hair hiding her face. Pushing open the door, she set down her things, sighing as the weight was taken from her shoulders. All she really wanted was to just sit down, to rest her tired feet. But as she looked around the kitchen, she saw that there were pots bubbling on the stove, an appetising smell filling the room.

_He..made dinner?_

She was about to check what was cooking, when all of a sudden she felt someone's arms wrap themselves tightly around her. Struggling for breath in this bear-hug, she peeked up at her captor. He was smiling happily, clearly pleased to see her. Sighing again, but this time in affectionate annoyance, she reached up as much as she was able to, brushing blonde hair from his face. Still smiling, Mwu kissed her fingers. "You had a hard day, huh?" he asked softly. Murrue nodded, closing her eyes and resting her head on his shoulder. After such a tough day, she realised that this was what she needed..someone to take care of her.

_He always takes care of me...he always has._

Releasing her from his embrace, he took her hand and led her to the sofa. "Here, you sit down while I finish dinner. You look tired..." She smiled up at him gratefully, then looked down. His right leg was encased in white plaster from ankle to knee..the leg he had broken a few days before. "You went to the doctor's, then?" she asked, noting the rueful smile on her fiance's face. He nodded, tapping the cast with his knuckles. "Sure did. And they even took a blood sample.." he whined, showing her the cotton wool stuck to his right arm. Murrue just giggled, causing Mwu to huff at her lack of sympathy, and hobble back into the kitchen.

When the dishes from their dinner had been washed and cleared away, the two of them sat together on the sofa, she snuggled close to him happily. Mwu didn't seem so happy, though. He fidgeted a lot, an expression of discomfort on his handsome face. Murrue looked up, noting the suppressed pain. "Your leg's hurting you?" He shook his head, and forced a smile on his face. "No, I'm okay.."

She shook her head in slight frustration, knowing how stubborn he was. "They didn't give you anything for the pain?"

He shrugged. "I didn't want it. Don't need it."

But he looked exhausted, shadows easy to see under his blue eyes. Murrue knew that he hadn't been sleeping well because of the pain from the broken leg, despite what he said. She reached up, trailing a thin hand down his scarred face. "But you're so tired..far more than I am.."

Mwu tried to wave aside her concern, but she caught hold of his hand, frowning. "Will you stop that? Pretending that you're fine, that it doesn't hurt, that you're not tired?" Standing up, she pulled at his hand. "Come on!"

He tried his best to stay where he was, but the angry expression on his fiancee's face made him realise that resistance was pretty much useless. Sighing heavily, he stood up, and Murrue helped him upstairs.

"So, where are we going?" he asked sulkily. She didn't answer, just walked him into their bedroom, and pointed wordlessly at the sofa bed. He looked angrily at her. "But I'm not tired!"

All she did was raise an eyebrow, and he laid down on the bed, grumbling under his breath. Murrue smiled sweetly, and knelt on the mattress beside him, moving his head so it was resting on her lap. He peered up at her in confusion, surprised when she began stroking his hair gently, humming a soft tune. Her voice..warmth and scent were soothing, somehow easing the pain and irritation he felt. Slowly, a smile crept onto his face, as his eyes grew heavy.

"I'm sorry.." he mumbled drowsily. "You're so tired..and I'm nothing but trouble..but you're still taking care of me..."

He heard her laugh quietly. "That's because _you_ always take care of _me_...and you need this.." Leaning down, Murrue kissed him lightly on the forehead. "Now get some sleep.."

A few moments later, he was fast asleep, the expression of pain melted into a small smile, face innocent. She smiled back, still caressing his hair. He was so like a child sometimes, petulant and stubborn. But she couldn't help loving him...

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( Review, please! )


	98. Broken Promises

( Since a lot of my fics recently have been on the theme of 'dreams', I'm going to continue that...)

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She was sleeping, curled up on her side in the bedsheets. She'd had a feeling that she wouldn't sleep so well that night, and indeed, it had taken a long time to drop off. Her dreams were fragmentary, the images hazy and unfocused, but the setting was clear.

_She was sitting on the bed..in her room aboard her old ship. The room was dark, reflecting the way she felt. He..he was dead. Killed in battle, his mobile armour destroyed whilst protecting his friend's. Michael had told her what happened..looking away, not able to face the pain and grief in her eyes, and she had fled to her room, ignoring her duties, locking herself in to be alone. She sat there on the bed, tears streaming down her cheeks, almost choking with the strength of her sobs. The locket he had given her was clutched so tightly in her hand, the edges dug into her fingers. But she never felt the pain...it couldn't match the pain in her heart._

She frowned in her sleep, curling up into a ball to try and ease the pain of old memories. The dream shifted, the timeframe moving to several weeks later..the day she left the ship for a new assignment.

_She stood there in the ship's docking bay, bag slung on shoulder. Michael stood before her, a sad smile on his face. Setting her bag down, she hugged him for a moment. "Take care of yourself, you hear?" he told her when they broke apart. She nodded, brushing auburn hair from her face. Michael smiled again, then looked seriously at her. "You know, you might not want to hear this, but.."_

_She held up a hand, stopping his sentence from continuing. "But I should find someone else? No. I promised myself that I wouldn't."_

_He sighed, shaking his head. "You can't do this to yourself. You're too young for this, kiddo. Too young to just become a nun and hide. No-one can control their heart..and you're one of those people who just isn't meant to be alone..." He smiled, this time genuinely. "You'll find someone else..fall in love again. I know it." She frowned. "I can't...it wouldn't be fair on him. I promised that I wouldn't..not ever.."_

**But I did, didn't I? I fell in love again, just like he thought I would. Fell head-over-heels within just a year...and I'm even happy. I broke my promise..the promise I made to myself, and to _his_ memory. What must he think?**

Waking up, Murrue rolled onto her back, hands to her face. The cloying weight of the guilt she felt was almost overwhelming. She broke her promise. Ever since she'd started having feelings for Mwu..feelings of more than friendship, it had been like this. The more she loved him, the more of herself she gave to him, the worse the feeling of guilt became. The easiest thing to do, she knew, was to just break off her relationship with Mwu. But..she couldn't do it. She loved him so much, and the thought of being alone again was far more painful than the guilt. What did she do?

If it had been any other night, Mwu would have been right there beside her, pulling her close in a hug, soothing her the way he always did when she awoke from a nightmare, helping her sleep again. But tonight...Murrue pulled her pillow to her, wrapping thin arms around it. Tonight..Mwu wasn't here. He was on early shift, so he'd stayed in his own room. It made her lonely, but in a way, she was glad he wasn't here.

_Feeling like this...I need to be alone for a while. What do I do? What would **he** think? Would he be angry with me? Angry for breaking my promise, for falling in love?_

Turning onto her side, still clutching the pillow, she sighed, eyes staring into the darkness.

The next day, she was exhausted. She had hardly slept at all after that dream, thoughts circling around in her head, refusing to let her sleep. She barely spoke to anyone, preferring instead to just mumble greetings, and lock herself in her office for most of the day. She knew that this was no way for a captain to act, but right now, she couldn't care less.. She had seen Mwu that morning, seen his cheery smile and wave..but she'd looked away, biting her lip. The way she felt right now..it hurt to look at him. But it also hurt to ignore him like that...

The day passed slowly, but later that night, Murrue stood at the window on the observation deck, just staring out at the scenery beyond. Staring, but not seeing, amber eyes unfocused, one hand pressed to the glass.

"Why are you ignoring me?" The voice came from a short distance away, the speaker leaning against the wall, just watching her. She spun around to face him, seeing the worried and sad expression on his face. The expression caused her to look away again, hand to her chest. _I've hurt him..._

Mwu sighed. "There's something wrong, I know it, but what? You won't talk to, or even look at me today. Is it something I can't help with, or...or am I the problem?"

Murrue flinched. Was that right? Was he the problem? She loved him so much, that sometimes even just imagining his smile made her heart race. But at the same time...it hurt to love him. Not just because of the memories of _him_, but because of the war. The war...she could also lose Mwu at any time, see him ripped away from her in the blink of an eye. That thought was so painful...all the mixed love, pain and fear she'd felt since the night before finally became too much to bear, and she broke down in tears.

She heard a quiet gasp, and felt his warm hand on her shoulder. Burying her face in her hands, she cried, the droplets escaping from between her fingers and sparkling in the air.

"Please...will you tell me what's wrong?" she heard Mwu ask. His voice was filled with worry and concern...and compassion. Murrue still didn't look at him, didn't answer him. Instead, she turned around and hugged him, her tears soaking into his uniform. Mwu seemed taken aback by this for a second, then he wrapped his own arms around her, gently rocking her back and forth, not saying anything.

"I...I...after _he_ died..I made a promise." she said quietly, voice hitching with her sobs. "That I wouldn't fall in love with anyone else again..but...I.." She finally looked up at him, her eyes meeting his blue ones. "But I did. I..I fell in love with _you_..and I broke my promise. Do you think..that he'd be angry with me? Would he hate me?"

For a moment, Mwu was silent. Then he spoke softly. "Do you wish things had been different? That we weren't together like this?"

The pain in his voice made her look up at him again sharply, and she lifted a hand to touch his face. "No.." she said. "Whatever happens, this was the right choice. My friend..he told me...that no-one can control their heart..can control who they fall in love with. He also said..that I wasn't meant to be alone..and now I know that he's right. I wouldn't change anything..about you, or me, or us being together. But still, I..."

He smiled a little. "The one you were with before.." he began, "I think that...if he loved you as much as I do, and I'm sure that he did, you must have been everything to him." One hand stroked her dark hair. "If..the same happens to me as happened to him, if one day I can't be here anymore..and you found someone else to love, I wouldn't be angry, and I certainly could never hate you. I'm sure it's the same for him.."

Murrue smiled back at that, corners of her mouth lifting slightly. But then the smile was gone, to be replaced by worry. She curled a hand around the open collar of his jacket, nuzzling close to him. "But..what if it _does_ happen to you? I..."

He placed a finger on her lips, shaking his head. "We shouldn't think about that. But..if that does happen, then remember that wherever you are, I'll still be with you, taking care of you. Just like I'm sure _he_ does..."

His words soothed her anxiety, reducing the guilt she was feeling. But there was still one thing she had to know. Fixing her amber eyes on Mwu's blue ones again, she spoke. "But...what would _he_ think? Of me giving my heart to another so soon?"

He smiled again at that. "Now, I can't answer that, can I? I can imagine how he must have felt for you, because I feel the same way. But I can't answer for him, I never knew him. But _you_ did. Tell me, do _you_ think that he'd be angry with you?"

Murrue closed her eyes, imagining the way he used to be, cycling backwards through memories. Finally, she raised her head to look at Mwu again, and smiled. "No..."

Mwu pulled her closer, rubbing her back with his hands. "There, you see? And besides, you still love him, don't you?" At her nod, he kissed her forehead. "Then..you _haven't_ given your heart to me, have you? Just letting me share it..."

Murrue laid her head on his shoulder. "I guess so. Are you..okay with that?" For an answer, he kissed her on the cheek.

As she stood there in his embrace, she smiled to herself, realising that Mwu held more of her heart than he knew. With each passing day, he stole a little more, and she knew that it wouldn't be long before her heart completely belonged to him.

And yet...she didn't feel guilty anymore...

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( zOMG angst:hides from big sis: Sorry! But I just wondered about this mysterious 'old boyfriend', and what he might have been like, that's all.

Please read and review! )


	99. Rainy Afternoon

The rain fell in a fine mist, the sky dull and overcast. Even though it was still warm, it wasn't a summery warmth, but a heavy, close feeling, one seemed to drain energy from people. On this day, the grey light shone through a small attic window, falling on a woman curled up on a bean-bag chair, reading.. It was her favourite place to sit and read, a place where she felt isolated from the outside world, from her work, everything. A pile of books sat by her side, as well as a mug of hot chocolate, and a muffin.. She sat there perfectly still and silent, the only movement visible being when she turned the pages of the mystery novel she was absorbed in.

The attic room was small, but cosy, packed with old furniture that the previous family had left behind. Draped with dust sheets, they appeared ghostly at first, but it soon became clear what they really were. An old closet, a standing mirror, a rocking horse, a cedar trunk...The air smelled a little musty, but also faintly of lavender, the floral scent mixing with the cedar from the trunk. That scent made the woman smile, and she set down her book. Standing up and smoothing down her skirt, Murrue crossed the wooden floor and knelt down beside the trunk, removing the dust sheet. Opening the lid, she pulled back the covering of tissue paper, and the lavender sachet, to reveal a mass of folded silk.

Carefully lifting the fabric from the trunk, she walked to the old mirror, pulling back the dust sheet and standing before it, holding the silken material against herself. A white silk gown, with delicate lace and beadwork...her wedding dress. Murrue smiled happily as she stood before the mirror, hugging the gown close to herself, memories of the day she wore this running through her mind.

"Does it still fit?"

Murrue smiled again at the sound of the voice from the stairwell. "Of course it does." she said, not turning around. "It's only been four months since I wore it.." Turning around, she folded the dress back up, holding it in her arms. "I thought you'd still be at work?"

Mwu shrugged, grinning. "I finished about an hour ago." Climbing the stairs, he wrapped his wife in a hug after she had placed the dress back in the trunk. "Why didn't you try it on?" he asked, as the two of them stood before the mirror. Murrue closed her eyes, leaning back into his warm embrace. "There wasn't much point, was there? I know it still fits me..."

He chuckled, hands placed on her stomach. "But give it a few more weeks, and I bet it won't anymore.." She blushed, looking down at herself, even though she knew there was nothing to see yet. He was right, and she knew it...and it still didn't feel real. Part of her wished that it hadn't happened so soon, that she'd had more time to spend getting used to being married first. But then again...

_Then again, maybe this is for the best. We missed out on so much together, after all. And I have five more months still before it happens..._

"Do you think..we'll be okay?" She looked up and behind, surprised at the faint trace of doubt on his face. "What's wrong? It's not like you to doubt yourself.."

He sighed, moving across to the bean-bag chair, her still held in his arms. Sitting down on the plush seat beside him, Murrue studied her husband. "Are you having second thoughts or something?" she asked. Mwu shook his head. "No..no, it's not that. It's just that we'll be parents pretty soon..and I don't know if I'll be any good at it.."

She smiled softly at him. "Now..wasn't I the one to be worried about that before, and you the one to reassure me? Odd how quickly things change.." She reached up and ruffled his blonde hair. "I'm sure you'll be good at it..that you'll be a great father."

He smiled at that, even looking a little embarrassed. The pair sat there for a while, the sound of the rain hissing outside, and their breathing the only sounds to be heard. Finally, she spoke up.

"I wonder.." she murmured, "why I have trouble remembering exactly what happened at our wedding? It was only a short time ago..yet it seems like years, like we've been this way forever.."

Mwu leaned back against the wall, blue eyes closed as he thought back to that autumn day. "I remember..that we danced at the reception, but that neither of us was very good at it. And that the floor was so polished, I kept slipping..." Murrue giggled. "Yes, I remember that Lacus-san and Athrun-kun were really the only ones who could dance, and they had real trouble trying to teach Kira-kun and Meyrin-chan..And everyone drank a lot."

He raised an eyebrow at that. "I think you drank more than anyone else there.." She flushed, looking at her hands. "Maybe I did, but I wasn't the most drunk person there."

"That's true.." he said. "You were drunk, but didn't seem to be. The kid..well...he had about two drinks and passed out..."

"We might not remember every detail.." Murrue mused, "but we have so many photographs and mementoes saved from that day, it doesn't really matter..." Her dress in the trunk, the bouquet of roses she had carried carefully dried out and preserved, the sugared almonds, even the tiny silver horseshoe from the top of the wedding cake. And there was a whole album full of photographs, of happy memories frozen forever.

Later that evening, the couple washed and cleared away the dishes from dinner, then Murrue opened the freezer, standing up on her tip-toes to reach the tub of cookie-dough ice cream that sat on a high shelf. Taking a spoon from a drawer, she curled up happily in an armchair in front of the TV, eating the frozen dessert. Mwu stood behind her as she ate, his breath tickling her dark hair.

"You gonna share that?" he asked mildly. She giggled, hugging the tub close to herself. "Nope..there's not enough here to share."

He pouted. "You sure do eat a lot now...especially ice-cream..."

Murrue only shrugged. "I'm eating for two now, remember?" Mwu wasn't convinced. "I still think that's just an excuse for you to hog all the ice-cream.."

But he really couldn't be mad at her. Standing there, he watched her eat the frozen treat, the waves of happiness and contentment from her almost visible. _If she's this happy, then she can have all the ice-cream she wants, and I wouldn't care. Because she's the whole world to me..._

Their loneliness, mutual enforced isolation..that had been what triggered this. They had both realised almost at the same time how similar they really were deep down, and that they couldn't stay alone forever. The shared feelings still bound them closely, only this time they were feelings of happiness, love, instead of loneliness...

Crossing to the armchair, Mwu lifted his wife up in his arms, then settled into the chair with her sitting in his lap. Murrue tried to hide the tub of ice-cream, but he was still able to steal a spoonful anyway. She huffed, amber eyes flashing, but he only smiled, and kissed the tip of her nose, tickling her sides until she started laughing, wriggling to try and escape.

But she still wouldn't share the ice-cream...

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( Lol. For some reason, the stories I enjoy writing the most are the ones about nothing in particular. Just random things about how I think their life together might be. Strange, but I love to imagine their life, just two people living an ordinary existence after everything they went through.

Please read and review, and please tell me if you'd like me to continue this set of stories past 100...)


	100. A Day In The Life

( This be a sort of companion piece to one of my earlier stories, 'Futsu'. Only this time, there's someone extra XD

And some of it is a fluff OD... )

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6:30 AM

The little girl slid off the bed, two tiny feet hitting the floor with a thud. Her favourite plush bear clutched in one hand, she pushed open the door of her bedroom, and toddled down the hallway, feet making almost no sound on the thick carpeting. The room at the end of the hall was quiet. The sun shone brightly through the thin curtains, and the birds were singing outside. The little girl frowned. If everything outside was awake now, why weren't Mama and Papa?

Setting down her teddy bear on the sofa, she climbed up the wooden steps to the big fluffy bed. No-one was moving, but she could hear breathing..they were still sleeping. Holding on to the blankets, she was able to clamber up onto the bed, snuggling into the duvet. She loved the cuddly feel of Mama and Papa's bed, and sometimes, when they weren't looking, she would sneak upstairs and hide under the covers. But Mama always knew where she'd gone...

She could hardly see Mama for the bedcovers, and her face was hidden by her hair. Crawling across the duvet, the little girl reached out and brushed the hair from Mama's face. She was smiling in her sleep, hugging Papa tight. But the feel of the fingers on her face made her wake up. "Hmmmm?"

Murrue slowly cracked open one eye, not sure at first what had woken her. Looking around, she smiled sleepily when she saw her little visitor, dark hair all rumpled, nightdress slipping off one shoulder. "Morning, sweetie.."

Stellar beamed happily. "Good morning, Mama!" she chirped. Sitting up in the bed and stretching, Murrue placed a finger to her lips. "Sssssh, now. Papa's still sleeping..." Mwu was indeed sound asleep, sprawled out in the bed, snoring faintly. Stifling a giggle, Murrue carefully pushed back the covers, and slipped out of bed. "Come on," she said quietly. "Let's go get dressed, then we can start breakfast.." Leaning down, she picked up her three-year-old daughter, and tip-toed down the wooden steps.

7:35 AM

"Mrrrrggghhh..."

She rolled her eyes. He was such a heavy sleeper...Not even pulling the covers back, or poking him in the ribs had worked. Stellar stood beside her, giggling at her father's mumbling. Carefully, Murrue brushed a finger across Mwu's face, smiling when his nose twitched. Kneeling beside the bed, she placed a light butterfly kiss on the tip of his scarred nose. Mwu slowly opened his eyes.

All he could see was brightness, the sun from the window shining behind a figure beside him. The figure wore a white lacy dress, and looked rather like an angel. He smiled. To him...she _was_ an angel.

The angel smiled. "Good morning.." she said softly. Mwu reached out and trailed a finger down her cheek. "Morning..." Sitting up, he stretched and yawned, grinning when Stellar scrambled onto his lap. She smiled happily up at him, little round face framed by auburn pigtails. "Breakfast's ready, Papa!"

Standing up, he lifted the little girl in his arms, and together, the family made their way downstairs to eat breakfast.

9.00 AM

Stellar looked around the garden for flowers. Mama and Papa's garden was full of flowers, but there were some that she wasn't allowed to pick. Like the roses. They were at the end of the garden, all together. Lots of different colours, red, pink, yellow, and some that the toddler didn't know the names for yet. There were too many for her to count, too. Mama loved the roses, and would sit at the end of the garden for a long time, singing little songs to herself as she worked. Sometimes, she'd let Stellar collect the fallen petals, and help her make pretty patterns on the grass.

Finding a blue flower, the little girl planted it in her sandpit, beside the white flower she'd found before.

"Papa.." she called. Papa wasn't far away, watering some of the tiny flowers under a tree. He looked up at her, and smiled, brushing his hair from his face. "What is it, princess?"

"Can you water my garden, please?" She was proud of herself for remembering to say 'please'. Mama had taught her to say it if she asked for something, but sometimes she forgot. Papa was happy though, and sprinkled water on her flowers. Then he laughed, and sprinkled some of the water on Stellar's head, making her giggle. "I'm not a flower!"

Papa lifted her up, and carried her over to Mama's roses. The three-year-old smiled, and snuggled up to him. He stopped by the red roses, and pointed to a tiny baby rose. "If you were a flower, that would be you right now." Then he pointed to a grown-up rose nearby, soft petals waving in the wind. "But when you grow up, you'll be just like that one. Beautiful, just like Mama.."

Stellar beamed in delight. "Really? Like Mama?"

She thought her mama was the most beautiful person in the world. Like a princess from the storybooks. A lot of the girls at playgroup had pretty mamas too, but none of them looked like Stellar's mama...

Papa always called Mama beautiful too, and her cheeks would turn pink. She always told Papa not to be silly, but she always smiled...

14.30 PM

The gentle breeze wafted through the garden, blowing through her hair. She sat underneath a tree, reading quietly. Stellar was curled up on a blanket in the shade beside her, fast asleep. She murmured to herself in her sleep, sucking her thumb. Murrue smiled, and brushed some of the hair from the sleeping child's face. Mwu was also there, his head on her lap, which made it difficult to read properly. "Do you need a nap too?" she asked him mildly, and he grinned. "Nah. Not really. I just like it here..."

Murrue rolled her eyes, and went back to her book, although her thin fingers crept downwards and wisped across his face and through his hair. Mwu smiled happily, closing his eyes, and a few moments later, he was asleep.

"You really can sleep anywhere, can't you?" Murrue whispered, smiling down at her husband, who's innocent expression mirrored his young daughter's.

"It's like having _two_ children..."

16.15.PM

They were playing tag. Childish, yes, but fun. Mwu had started it by tagging Stellar and running away, and the little girl had yelled, chasing after him. Murrue had been quite content to sit on the doorstep and watch the game, but of course, Mwu wouldn't let her. He had run up to her, breathless and laughing, and simply tagged her, running away again. So of course, she _had_ to join in. The game had progressed, and Mwu was now 'it' again, searching the vast garden for signs of the two fugitives. Little Stellar was hiding under the sunlounger by the fish pond, and Murrue herself was creeping quietly through the trees...until she and he spotted each other at the same time. Mwu grinned, and lunged for her, causing her to shriek with laughter, running away as fast as she could go. Some people might raise an eyebrow at a married couple in their thirties to be acting like teenagers, but they were having so much fun, they didn't care...

Finally, he caught her, as she knew he would. Her cheeks were bright pink from exertion, and they were both laughing. They could hear Stellar giggling from her hiding place. Mwu pulled Murrue to him, and kissed her until she was breathless. The laughter died away, and she leaned into him when it was over, looking up at him.

"So.." she breathed, "am I 'it' now?" He didn't answer right away, just stared into her amber eyes. "I don't know.." he said after a while. He trailed a finger down her cheek, which was still pink, but for a different reason. "Are you?"

The moment was perfect...but it couldn't last. Murrue felt a little tug at the hem of her dress, and looked down to see Stellar there.

"Mama...I'm thirsty. Can I please have some juice?"

Oh well. Mwu and Murrue glanced at each other one last time before he picked up their daughter in his arms.

There was always later, after all...

20.00 PM

The couple sat quietly on the garden swing, his toe pushing it to and fro. Stellar was fast asleep, and had been for at least two hours. She'd had her bath, much preferring making faces with the bubbles, and playing with her toy boats, to actually getting washed, but eventually they'd managed it. It hadn't taken her long to fall asleep after that, the tiny girl worn out from her long day. And she wasn't the only one worn out. Mwu and Murrue themselves were exhausted.

"No-one ever told me that being a dad would be this much work.." he whined, leaning back against the swing. Murrue smiled a little, resting her head on his shoulder. "One day.." she said softly, "we could always let Kira-kun and Lacus-san take care of her. Then we could have a day all to ourselves.." She looked up at him with a small frown. "Is that selfish?"

"No, I don't think so.." he replied. "In fact, it makes a lot of sense." He stroked her dark hair as they sat together. "Almost all our time now is taken up with work and being parents. I wouldn't swap it for anything, but I'd like to spend some time with you, and just you..."

Murrue nuzzled close sleepily. "Even when we're like this, after she's sleeping...we're so tired that we don't have the energy to do much besides talk. That moment earlier..I miss that."

"Then it's settled.." Mwu said, leaning down and kissing her softly. "One day soon, it'll be a day just for us..."

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( Well, what do you think? I could well imagine their lives with a toddler in tow, and being _their_ kid, I can also imagine her being full of energy. She'd tire them out lmao.

If anyone would like me to write about their day alone together, let me know XD

Please read and review!

PS: YAY! 100 stories! )


	101. A Day Alone

( Lol, I wasn't sure whether to carry on, but I can think of at least one person who'd like to read about Mwu and Murrue-san's day alone together..so here we go! )

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All she could feel was warmth and comfort. The light from outside caused her to stir, and she smiled without knowing why she felt so happy. Amber eyes flickering open, she made an attempt to stretch out her arms..but something was holding her back. Turning her head to the side, Murrue smiled again. Mwu was right beside her, his head sharing the same pillow, one strong arm draped across her. His face wore a seraphic smile...his dreams clearly happy ones.

_Maybe he's dreaming about last night?_

Wiggling out from underneath her sleeping husband, Murrue wrapped a robe around herself, and checked the clock that sat on the bedside table. 9am. She shook her head, placing the clock back on the nightstand, and got to her feet. Usually, they'd be awoken at least three hours earlier, by their little girl jumping on the bed. Stellar was so full of energy always, it was a full-time job just keeping up with her. How Lacus-san and Kira-kun coped with all those orphans they took care of was a mystery to her.

Quietly making her way downstairs, she set the kettle going for coffee. The house seemed so quiet without their daughter. They had taken Stellar over to Lacus-san's house the night before, for a sleepover. She was due to come back the next morning, leaving Mwu and Murrue alone together for thirty-six hours. The toddler had been a little tearful when she was dropped off, but her best friend was also sleeping over for a while. It turned out that Athrun and Meyrin also needed a break from being parents for a while, and their two-year-old, Lenore, was there waiting for Stellar. The two little girls had raced off together to play, Stellar barely turning around to wave to her parents..and all they could do was smile.

_And now..we have the whole day, and tonight, all to ourselves..It's been such a long time since that happened..it feels like years..._

Looking out of the kitchen window at the garden, the flowers waving in the slight breeze, and the birds drinking and taking baths in the shallows of the pond, Murrue closed her eyes as she sipped her drink. Last night, after dropping Stellar off, she and Mwu had driven into the city, planning to eat out for the first time in a long time. Their friends had recommended a Chinese place near the outskirts of the city, and the pair had made reservations. The restaurant had been amazing, the walls covered with elaborate carvings and paintings, each table in a quiet alcove. And the food..she'd eaten more last night than she had at one sitting in a long time. It had been perfect, just the right blend of spices. And Mwu...well, it seemed as though Mwu had ordered one of everything on the menu, and he ate the lot, beaming happily.

After their meal, they'd driven to the beach to watch the sunset, just as they'd used to do in the early days after the war. She'd remembered the wish she'd made on the first anniversary of Jachin Due, that she could stand and watch the sun set with him, and he'd smiled when she'd told him, saying that they could watch every sunset together, if it made her happy.

They'd sat there last night, on the cool sand, watching the flaming orange disc of the sun sink over the sea, her head on his shoulder. His arm was wrapped tightly around her waist, and they'd sat there in silence until long after the sun had disappeared, and the stars had appeared one by one through the twilight. They hadn't spoken...hadn't needed to. The drive home had also been spent in silence. When you loved someone with all your heart, sometimes words weren't necessary.

They'd sat outside on the garden swing, sharing a bottle of wine unearthed from a cupboard, sitting there for hours in the moonlight curled in each other's arms..just as they had done when they were first married. Eventually though..when the bottle was empty, their closeness and solitude began to affect them differently, and he had lifted her up in his arms, carrying her into the house.

Opening her eyes, Murrue smiled again. Even though their exhaustion had originally been what had moved them to spend a day alone, they hadn't exactly caught up on sleep the night before...

Which was why they had slept in, and why Mwu was still sound asleep. Walking back upstairs, she saw that he was still smiling, and she shook her head, finishing her coffee and snuggling back down in the bed beside him. The movement caused him to stir, and he opened sleepy blue eyes, grinning. "Morning, beautiful.." he mumbled, reaching out to wrap an arm around her. He nuzzled close with a happy noise, making her giggle. "Did you sleep well?" he asked knowingly.

"Not really," she admitted, brushing blonde hair from his face. "But it doesn't matter."

The two of them had gone to bed, sure enough, but not to sleep. They hadn't fallen asleep until the early hours of the morning, completely exhausted, but for rather a different reason than normal...

Murrue looked around, smiling at the discarded clothes and rumpled bedcovers. "We should get up.." she said, noting the disappointed look on Mwu's face. "Awwww...why?" he whined, kissing her neck. She laughed at the tickling sensation that caused, and tried to push him away. "Because we can't stay in bed all day, that's why."

Mwu just grinned again, and ducked his head under the covers. She was confused for a moment, then...she gasped, her eyes widening, cheeks flushed. "S-stop that!" she managed, breathless. She could hear his laughter from under the covers. "You still want to get up?" he asked, voice muffled by the bedsheets. As the lump under the covers moved lower, Murrue's eyes fluttered closed. "Mmmmmm...maybe we can stay here a _little_ longer..."

That afternoon, after they'd (eventually) got up, the couple sat together in the shade of a tree, cool drinks by their sides. Clad in swimsuits, the two of them had spent a couple of hours in Stellar's paddling pool, enjoying the relief from the heat, and even indulging in a water fight until they were both soaked through. Now though, they were just sitting close together, her head resting on his lap, amber eyes closed. The afternoon was hot and sunny, with a light breeze, and the scent of mown grass was carried on the air. "So, what do you want to do the rest of today?" murmured Mwu, and she smiled. "Can we just stay here?"

"We should have days like this more often...a day for just us, no-one else..." he mused, hand idly stroking her dark hair. She nodded drowsily, not opening her eyes. "That sounds great..."

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( Lol, that was waffle. But I can imagine them just being happy to spend the day like that. Not having to do anything, or go anywhere, just stay with each other and enjoy it. Everyone has days when they just want to do that, right?

Please read and review ! )


	102. While You Were Sleeping

He floated throught the silent corridors of the battleship, two plastic plates balanced in his hands. He'd been able to snaffle these from the galley without the staff noticing. He hoped they wouldn't mind, but after all, they _were_ just sitting there, and it seemed a shame that they had to go to waste...

Besides, this...He looked down at the two slices of vanilla sponge cake on the plates. This was a treat. The Captain had looked so tired recently, her work and duties keeping her up until all hours of the night. She was overworking herself, slender frame weighed down by her responsiblities and her stubborn refusal to let anyone help her. Everyone knew it, but no-one was able to do anything about it...but tonight, he was going to. He had decided to take her the cake, make her a cup of coffee, and make her get some sleep. It may be very late at night, but he was willing to bet that she'd still be awake.

Looking down the empty corridor, Neo was surprised to see the Kira kid coming towards him. The boy beamed, and Neo nodded, returning the smile absently, attention focused on where he was going.

"Is that for Murrue-san?"

The kid's question startled Neo for a moment, but he nodded again, not turning around. Kira sounded confused. "But what if she's sleeping?" The man shrugged. "Then I'll leave it there until she wakes up." He finally stopped and turned around at the boy's laughter.

"What is it?"

"Nothing," replied Kira, violet eyes dancing. "But you really care for Murrue-san, don't you? I'm glad that hasn't changed."

Neo stared down at the cake he carried. "She's a friend." he said softly. "A good friend. Even after all the things I said to her before, even though I made her cry...she doesn't hate me. Instead, she smiles. And she let me stay here, even though I don't deserve it, when I had nowhere else to go. I'm just trying..to repay her, that's all..." With that, the blonde man turned around, and set off on his journey again. Kira's voice rang out behind him.

"You know, you being here is all she needs, Mwu-san.." Neo didn't answer.

Letting himself into the little captain's office, Neo saw that she was at her desk, just as he had thought. But she...His blue eyes creased with a smile as he saw her. The desk was messy, strewn with papers, some of which were signed, and some not. Several empty coffee cups also littered the smooth metal surface. In the midst of all this chaos, the Captain's head was resting on a pile of reports, pen still loosely held in one small hand. She was sound asleep.

Kneeling down beside her chair, he gently brushed aside silky auburn hair from her face, noticing that she was smiling. She did smile quite often, but nothing like this. This smile was small, but also tender and loving...she was obviously having a wonderful dream.

_But..she can't sleep here..._

Very carefully, Neo lifted the sleeping woman from her chair, holding her in his arms. She never woke up, but she did stir slightly...snuggling up to him in her sleep. He froze, staring down at her. _Why..._

He tried to set her down on the office sofa, to give her somewhere more comfortable to sleep..but she wouldn't let go. One hand curled around the open collar of his jacket, and she sighed contentedly.

Neo had no idea what he should do. Her scent, and her closeness were making his heart race. Sitting down on the sofa, he tried to unclasp her hand, but she murmured something protesting, and nuzzled closer, resting her head on his shoulder. He sighed.

"C'mon now, Captain.." he said quietly. But really, he didn't want to let go either. He'd dreamed of this for quite some time...of being with her like this. So he sat there for a while, eyes closed, small smile on scarred face, feeling more at peace with himself than he had for as far back as he could remember.

The captain shifted in his arms, her hair tickling his chin. Her smile grew, and she mumbled something in her sleep. One word.

"...Mwu..."

Neo opened his eyes and stared down at her again. So..that was why she was so happy...why she wouldn't let him go. She was dreaming about Mwu...in her sleep, thinking that he _was_ Mwu. He held on to her tightly, breathing in the rose scent. It hurt.

"You're making it tough for me, you know?" he said softly, voice barely above a whisper. He wanted, more than anything in the world, for her to love him the way he loved her. But for her...the memories of Mwu were too strong, he couldn't do anything.

Neo was pleased that she was happy. But seeing her there, curled up in his arms and smiling..but dreaming of another...it made him so jealous that it was painful.

As he sat there however, he realised that it didn't really matter. If she was happy, he didn't care why. Almost more than he wished for a return of his feelings, he wished for her to smile more..and she was. What did the reason behind the smile matter?

_Then, if that's the case...why not make her dream even happier? My voice...sounds like Mwu's, I know that. So..._

Finally managing to untangle the Captain's hand from his jacket, he settled her down on the sofa, covering her with a soft blanket from a cupboard. Leaning in close to the sleeping beauty, he whispered in her ear.

"It's okay..." he said. "I'm here now.." Her smile grew, and she murmured again. ."...love you..."

"I love you too..." he replied, brushing strands of hair from her face. That, at least, was from his own heart.

Very carefully, he leaned toward her again, and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. She didn't wake up, but her pale cheeks turned a shade deeper pink. He smiled. He'd wanted to kiss her for so long...and had finally gotten his chance..even though she'd never know, would put it all down to a dream of her beloved Mwu. That hurt Neo, but he got to his feet, shaking his head. Loving someone who didn't realise it, and couldn't return your feelings...it was the worst pain he'd ever felt, far worse than the pain of his scars. But at the same time, the pain was bittersweet, as all of it was worth it if he could stay here...by her side.

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( Awwww...poor Neo-san! But I'm sure that's how he must feel.

Please read and review! )


	103. Vacation

She sat quietly on a white-painted bench, the untreated wood of the porch rough beneath her bare feet. The cool sea breeze blew around her bare legs, making her nightdress flutter. Before her, beyond the porch of this little house, was a meadow, filled with long grass, and hundreds of wildflowers, the dots of colour seeming to stretch on forever. And beyond the meadow...was the ocean. There was silence, save for the calls of sea birds, the waves on the rocks, and the whisper of the wind through the grass. She smiled, closing her eyes as the breeze blew her dark hair back over her shoulders. The sunlight was warm...this was wonderful.

_If I'd ever imagined heaven..I'm sure that it would look like this. But this is real..._

The boards of the porch creaked, and Murrue's smile grew, but she didn't open her eyes. After a moment, she felt two warm hands on her shoulders, and a kiss on the top of her head. "Good morning.." she said, leaning back into the embrace. She heard him laugh, then he came around to sit on the bench beside her. "Good morning.." he replied, slipping an arm around her shoulders. "Did you sleep well?" She nodded, eyes still fixed on the scenery before her. "Better than I have in a long time. This place is so relaxing..."

"Yeah.." Mwu said softly, pulling her close to him. "Gotta say, it was great of the little missy to let us stay at her vacation house for a week or two..." Murrue nodded. "It's so kind of Kira-kun and Lacus-san to let us live in their house until we find a place of our own...I feel bad for imposing on them. And it's nice...to have some privacy." That much was true. With the tiny beach house always busy, the orphans running around..there was nowhere for the couple to be alone together. This offer from Cagalli..it had come at just the right time.

Stretching out, Murrue placed a light kiss on Mwu's cheek. "Shall I make breakfast?"

After the light meal of toast and cereal, the couple sat at the small kitchen table, just staring at each other. Neither of them was really sure what they should say, or do. Since the beach house back home was always so crowded..this felt rather uncomfortable, to have solitude like this. Finally, Murrue cleared her throat, cheeks flushing. "I-I have to go take a shower.." she mumbled, pushing her chair back, and disappearing into the bedroom. Mwu sighed, poking his empty bowl with a spoon. It did feel kinda weird to be like this..after the only times they'd been able to be alone previously was on the _Archangel_. Making the jump from 'secret lovers' to 'official couple' was tougher than either of them had anticipated. _This might take some time..._

Wandering into the tiny bedroom, he sat down on the bed, smoothing out the patchwork counterpane. He could hear the sound of the running water from the shower, and also the sound of singing, and he smiled. Some things weren't so different, after all.

When the shower stopped, Murrue stepped out, long dark hair tied up in a towel, robe around herself. When she saw him sitting there on the bed, she blushed again, shrinking into herself. "I-I.." she stuttered. Mwu shook his head, and knelt down so he was looking into her eyes. "Why so shy?" She didn't answer, and he stood up, taking her into his arms. "We need to get used to this, I know. But it's not like I haven't seen you like this before. The setting's changed, but nothing else has."

Letting her go, he walked from the bedroom, leaving her alone with her thoughts.

That afternoon, they decided upon a walk. Rooting in various cupboards, Murrue was able to fix a picnic, and the sight of her preparing all different kinds of foods, industriously packing them into bags and boxes, made Mwu smile happily. Murrue looked up at where he sat at the table beside her, cheeks pink. "W-what is it?" she asked, smiling. He shook his head, blue eyes twinkling. "You're perfect.." was all he said. Her blush deepened, and she returned her attention back to the picnic, not knowing what to say.

_He's right..nothing has really changed. He still says silly things, asks me questions I can't answer...embarrasses me. I never imagined that things would be like that for always, but I'm sure...I'll get used to it._

"You're right.." she said softly, holding the straw hat on her head against the wind. He looked up at her from where he lay in the grass, half a sandwich still in his hand. The remains of their picnic lay on the blanket they had spread out on the clifftop.

"I am? About what?"

"That things haven't changed that much. You and me, I mean. It's just..I've never lived with anyone before, and it made me nervous."

He laughed a little, finishing the sandwich. "It's the same for me. For anyone, I'd imagine. All it is is that things between us are out in the open now, instead of us having to hide it." He reached up to brush aside a lock of her hair. "We can get used to that, right?"

Murrue smiled, and nodded. Mwu tipped his head back to look up at the sky, eyes reflecting the intense blue. His hand crept downwards from her face, and took her own hand. "Are you real?" he asked, without looking at her. She blinked at this odd question, amber eyes showing her confusion. He laughed a little. "Sorry. I was just wondering. I've wondered about it ever since I met you...since we got together. If you're real. Because..if I'd ever imagined a perfect girlfriend..she'd be just like you."

Murrue flushed scarlet. "I'm not perfect...you keep saying I am, but I'm not...but I wonder too...if _you're_ real. Sometimes I had dreams like this..that we were together, with no war. But they were just dreams." She smiled, a little embarrassed. "So..are _you_ real?"

Mwu peered down at himself, then pinched himself experimentally. "I'd say so..." Still holding her hand, he brought it close and kissed her fingers. "And so are you. And you _are_ perfect."

She blushed again, and he laughed, finding it adorable. Without saying anything, she fiddled with one of the wildflowers that danced around them, picking it, and twisting the stem. Picking another flower, she idly twisted that with the other, and continued until she'd made a sort of wreath with the sweet-smelling blooms.

"Hey now.." he said, breaking her concentration, "that's pretty." Looking down, Murrue was surprised at what she'd made without realising. Looking to the side, to where he still lay in the grass, she smiled, placing the wreath on his chest. Mwu raised an eyebrow. "That doesn't work for me. Flowers don't suit me..." Sitting up, he instead placed the wreath on Murrue's head.

"Now that's better." he said with a pleased grin. "You look like a bride." And it was true. With her pale cream dress, the pink in her cheeks, flowers in her hair..she did look like a bride.

He'd expected her to blush again, but instead, she smiled slyly. "Oh?" she asked mildly, leaning back and letting the sun reach her face. "That sounds nice. I'd like to be a bride one day..." She pressed a finger to her cheek, expression one of innocence. "But who would I marry?"

Mwu couldn't help chuckling. For her to be so shy one moment, then like this another..she was more unpredictable than he'd realised. _She'll take some getting used to...but I can't imagine anything I'd like better...than that opportunity..._

Still holding her hand, he pulled her down until she was lying beside him. "I'm sure," he said softly, "that I can think of someone who'd love to marry you one day. Maybe...he's waiting. Until he's sure of a few things."

Murrue nodded, the fragrant floral crown still perched in her dark hair. "And I'll be waiting too..."

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( Was that too weird? I sort of wondered what they'd be like if they just started getting used to being together properly all the time. I think that I'd be kinda nervous, and shy. Oh well.

Please read and review! )


	104. Dancing

( Okay. The tune in this fic is called 'Sore Ga Ai Deshou', by Shimokawa Mikuni, and it's actually the theme to the anime 'Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu'. It's a great song! Needless to say, I don't own the rights to this song. Or, in fact, anything at all...)

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There was a party on board the battleship. Well, not so much a party, more like a small get-together to boost morale. A lot of crewmembers had expressed nervousness and worry about what could happen next, and that fear had filtered over to almost everyone. Hence, the party. It was to cheer people up, make them smile. So, there they all were, gathered together in one room, talking and laughing. And even though the drink was only fruit juice, alcohol being prohibited on a warship, it didn't matter much. There was even music, catchy pop tunes being just audible over the babble of voices.

The captain of this ship was sitting on a table near the back of this room, glass in her hand. She smiled happily to see her crew enjoying themselves like this, and turned her head to look at the one beside her. By her own request, she'd asked him to stay with her, but not make it _look_ like he was with her. He was leaning against the wall, own glass in hand. They'd been talking quietly for a while now. His voice was little above a murmur, but she could hear every word he said.

"Are you having fun?"

Murrue smiled again at that, amber eyes twinkling. She nodded, the movement barely perceptible. Mwu took a sip of his drink, and set the empty glass down on the table behind her. "That's good." he replied softly. "Because this party is as much for you as it is the rest of the crew. People notice when you're worried..they want to see you smile." Sipping her orange juice, Murrue brushed dark hair behind one ear, not saying anything, but pleased anyway. Looking up, she stifled a giggle to see Lacus almost dragging Kira into the centre of the room. "Oh..poor Kira-kun. I bet he can't dance..." The boy's movements were awkward and slow, a complete contrast to the graceful dancing of his partner.

Tipping her head back, Murrue glanced at Mwu again. "Can _you_ dance?" He laughed at that, running a hand through his blonde hair. "Not at all. Oddly, I always wanted to try, but so far, I've never gotten to." He looked up at her, and winked. "Maybe I just never found someone I really wanted to dance with?" She shook her head, smiling a little. "And what about you?" she heard him ask curiously. "Can _you_ dance?"

She didn't reply. A new tune started playing, a woman's soft voice singing upbeat vocals, and Mwu smiled. Taking his captain's hand, he stood up to stand with her. "You want to show me?" Murrue only nodded, setting her glass down on the table, and letting him lead her to the centre of the room.

_'Because tenderness is sometimes cruel_

_The more I search for an answer, the more I lose sight of it.'_

People stopped chatting, or movements, and stood watching their captain and commander dance. Murrue felt a little embarrassed doing this...normally she wouldn't have even considered this in front of everyone. But Mwu was right. This was only a bit of fun...only a dance. Nothing to get embarrassed about...right? Staring right ahead, she tightened her grip on Mwu's waist as they danced.

_'If you can see a rainbow in town after a rain_

_Let's start walking now...something's about to begin._

_Because I have you_

_Because I have tomorrow_

_Because I can't go on living all by myself._

_I feel it this close...I guess it's love...'_

Surprised at the words of the song, she looked up at him curiously. But Mwu simply smiled, and the two of them kept dancing.

_'Because you know the pain of all the tears I've shed_

_I want to search for a definite meaning in your clear eyes_

_And find a smiling face.'_

She looked up at him, into his blue eyes, not able to speak much. She was blushing, she knew that, and people were still watching them. "Did..did you.." she stuttered, only to be cut off when he placed a finger on her lips. Murrue fixed her gaze on the front of Mwu's uniform, tongue-tied, and red in the face. _Did he..choose this song?_

Later, the couple stood alone together at the observation deck, both staring out into the bleak docking port of colony Mendel. They didn't speak much, just stood there, hands clasped together. The party had ended a few hours ago, with one of the crewmembers producing a camera, and taking photographs of everyone there. Murrue had tried to hide in the corner again, but Mwu had been delighted, wrapping his arms tightly around her, and pressing his cheek to hers while the picture was taken. And all she'd been able to do was blush, speechless that he would do something like that in front of everyone...

"Did you choose that?" she asked finally, squeezing his fingers. "The song?" He turned to her, an innocent expression on his boyish face. "Huh? No, that was just chance.." he said, grinning. Murrue simply arched an eyebrow, not buying it for a moment. That song..it had been his way of telling everyone how he felt about her, without actually telling _anyone._. She smiled as she looked at their entwined hands. It was just the sort of thing he did...make her flustered...when there was no way to explain how she felt without causing herself more embarrassment. But still, what he had done...she loved him for it.

Standing on her tip-toes, she kissed him lightly on the lips, inwardly smiling when he blinked in surprise.

"Thank you..." she murmured softly in his ear.

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( Heh lol. Well, I thought it might be cute, that's all...

Please read and review! )


	105. Treat

The weekday afternoon was hot and bright, the sun shining down upon the paved streets, and upon the small number of passers-by and shoppers lucky enough to not be working that day. Among those people were a couple, walking together with hands joined. They carried a few shopping bags, having come into the city that day for a few essentials. But mainly, they were just enjoying each other's company. The woman was pointing out various stores and landmarks to her companion, who's bright blue eyes were scanning the streets, still not used to his surroundings just yet. Eventually, the pair sat down on a wooden bench in the shade of a large tree, the man running off to fetch ice-cream. When he returned, handing the woman a chocolate-covered confection, he sat beside her, enjoying his own strawberry cornet.

"You know.." Murrue remarked as she nibbled the frozen treat, "if you keep this up, I'll end up with as big a sweet tooth as you." Mwu didn't reply, just grinned and carried on eating. Murrue noticed something on her companion's scarred face, and frowned, leaning in close. He looked surprised. "What is it?"

She sighed, brushing the long blonde hair from his face so she could see his nose better. "You're all sunburnt.." He tried to peer at his nose, eyes crossing, and he smiled ruefully. "Well, I've been outside with the class for the last few days, lessons on bearings and perspective...I guess I forgot my hat.." Murrue clucked in annoyance, dipping into one of the bags she carried. "You're not used to the weather here yet. If you keep this up, you'll get sunstroke or something." Pulling out a bottle of suncream, she dabbed some of it on Mwu's nose. "Now, keep that on."

He chuckled. "Yes, mom.." She raised an eyebrow, and he pulled her into a hug. "Thanks..."

After their ice-cream was finished, the couple carried on walking. Their journey took them past a cake shop, and Mwu's face lit up. Setting down the bags he carried, he ran into the shop, leaving Murrue outside. She sighed when he reappeared a few moments later with three cake boxes. One was chocolate fudge, another, coffee.

"Why'd you get so many?" He laughed at that, looking sheepish. "They all looked so good.." Then he held up the third box. "Look!" he said proudly. "Strawberry shortcake! Your favourite!" He was so pleased with himself, she couldn't help smiling.

"What?" he asked. "I'm just making up for lost time, that's all!"

"You know.." she replied, picking up the bags, "that excuse will only work so long..." Mwu nodded. "I know. But while I can, I may as well use it, right?"

_He'll never really grow up, will he?_ thought Murrue. _But I can't be mad at him. For the first time in two years, he's enjoying life. And now...I get to share that with him..something I never thought I'd be able to do..._

As they walked, Murrue showed Mwu her favourite place to shop. A tiny arcade, covered by an elaborate ceiling, and lined with little shops. There was a bookshop, where she told him she'd spent many hours browsing, a cafe, and even a toy shop, it's shelves stocked high with models, games, playthings of all kinds. Pressing a hand to the glass, she showed him her favourite, sitting there propped up in the shop window. A stuffed toy...a white rabbit. Mwu laughed. "What, you like him?" Murrue flushed, looking away. "It's just that..I used have one just like it when I was little.." she stuttered, and he took her hand. "How come you never bought him then?" he asked, watching her face. Her amber eyes were cast on the ground, and she shook her head. "I'm too old for toys, and besides..it was enough to look at him, really."

Mwu sighed, and, still holding onto her hand, pushed open the door of the toy shop, setting the bell tinkling. And no matter how much she tried to protest, he went ahead and bought the plush toy for her anyway, handing her the paper bag.

On their way back to the car, she never spoke, instead holding onto the bags, and staring straight ahead.

"You don't have to be mad, you know." said Mwu softly. "Because you always deny yourself things that would make you happy...so, why not let someone spoil you a bit? You deserve it, after all. I mean...you take such good care of me, and I _definitely_ don't deserve it.."

Murrue finally smiled at that. "Yes, you do. It's just that...being alone for so long, it's strange to be looked after like this. And besides..." her smile grew shy, cheeks pinking, "what if _you're_ all I need to be happy?"

He grinned, slipping an arm around her. "That would be nice, and I'm glad you feel that way. Very glad. But still...I'd like to treat you sometimes too, okay?" Still smiling, she nodded.

"Right," he said, taking her hand again. "Let's go eat that cake!"

Their laughter blended together in the warm afternoon air, understanding mixed with affection...

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( Ta-da! Lol, that made no sense, but it was still fun to write. Hope you all enjoyed it!

Please read and review! )


	106. Out Of Place

It was dark. Of course, being in space meant that it was always dark...but somehow, it _felt_ dark. Peeking around the room, just able to make out objects dimly illuminated by the strip of light shining underneath the door, Murrue could see nothing that would have woken her up.. She felt drowsy, cocooned in the bedsheets, their warmth added to by the arm wrapped tightly around her waist. Smiling, she carefully pushed back the covers, managing to wriggle free of the warming hold, and made her way to the bathroom. The clock on the counter told her it was almost 3AM.

After getting a glass of water, she made her way back across the darkened room...and almost tripped over something lying on the floor, water splashing out past the rim of the glass. Kneeling down, she picked up the object, amber eyes narrowing as she realised what it was. A boot. More specifically, _his_ boot. It laid there on the floor, fallen on one side, where it had been left after he'd kicked it off. His other boot wasn't so far away, along with the crumpled piles of his jacket and blue undershirt, scattered and discarded. Murrue sighed, turning her head to where her own uniform lay, a neatly folded pile resting on a chair, boots underneath, jacket hung on the coat rack. Everything in this room was in order...except him.

He lay there in her bed, fast asleep. The sheets were hopelessly rumpled, and one of his arms was stretched out across the pillows. Murrue shook her head, running one hand through her hair. He was such a mess...

_He's like...a tornado. A tornado that breezed into my life. Never sitting still, scattering things right and left, turning things upside down..._She glanced down at herself, smiling ruefully at her creased and crumpled nightgown. _And it's catching..._

Standing there amidst the sea of littered clothes, she watched him sleep. He was nothing like _him_. _He_ had been calm, collected, and quiet, only speaking when he needed to, but giving off an air of strength and confidence. Mwu, on the other hand, was noisy, boisterous and overconfident...rather giving her the impression that she was sharing her life with a firecracker. He was so different to _him_...that sometimes Murrue wondered if he wasn't a little out of place. Since _he_ died, her life had been quiet and ordered...but now..well, it was hard to describe.

In his sleep, Mwu's nose twitched, and he gave a tiny snore, which made her giggle softly. His other arm stretched out, as though he was wondering where she'd got to. Murrue smiled fondly. He may be disruptive and noisy...but he was also loving and kind. And he'd promised her that he'd take care of her. _He_ had promised that too...so maybe, deep down, they weren't so different after all?

Kneeling down, she began to collect his clothes that still lay where they'd fallen, attempting to smooth them out and fold them. But they were so wrinkled..it would be fighting a losing battle. Looking up at the sleeping man...even his blonde hair was a mess, curls falling over his face.

_This is just how it's meant to be. I can't change the way he is...just learn to live with it._ Setting the garments back on the floor, Murrue climbed back into the bed, snuggling down beside her lover, and resting her head on his shoulder. Mwu mumbled something in his sleep as her hair tickled his neck, and wrapped his arm around her waist again. She smiled, embracing him in turn. Even in sleep, he was watching out for her.

_He might not be **him**...he might be loud and disorganised, but I love him. Perhaps because he **is** so different?_

Raising her head a little, Murrue glanced at the clothes littering the floor, then back up at Mwu.

_Perhaps..a little mess can be a good thing?_

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( For some reason, I get the impression that Mwu's room resembles a teenager's, with clothes and magazines all over the floor. I could be wrong, but it's just an idea I had. And of course, for someone like Murrue-san, that might take some getting used to. Lol.

Please read and review! )


	107. Visitors

The street was quiet, a few cars lining the pavements, the street lights just beginning to switch on. Four people walked up this street, their cheerful chatter breaking the peaceful silence. One of the four, a red-haired young woman, very carefully carried a large pot, and her friend, another girl with pink hair, carried a flat pan covered with a cloth.

"Do you think she'll mind?" the redhead asked nervously. "Us bringing food, I mean?" A young man with brown hair grinned at that, shifting the intricately-wrapped parcel he held to another arm. "It'll be fine. Mwu-san asked if we would, remember? I'm sure he doesn't want Murrue-san to do all the cooking today."

As the four walked up the street, they caught sight of another guest, parking her car near the large red-brick house at the end of the road. "Hey, Milly!"

The young woman turned around, caught sight of her friends, and waved frantically, almost dropping the bottle of wine she carried. "Oh, hey guys!" Running up to the four, she grinned at the dishes carried by Lacus and Meyrin, and the gift Kira held. "You've been busy..what did you get her?"

Athrun smiled. "We bought her a jewellery box. You know, the cabinet kind?" Kira chipped in, nodding. "She must have quite a bit by now...Mwu-san spoils her rotten..." He laughed at that, and together, the five young people walked up to the large house, pressing the doorbell.

After a moment, the door opened, and a woman peeked out, her pale face lighting up into a huge smile. "Oh..you made it!" Pulling the door open wider, she gestured to the five to come in, wiping her hands on the apron she wore. As the young people entered the house, Lacus placed a kiss on the older woman's cheek. "Happy birthday, Murrue-san..."

The kitchen was filled with the smells of cooking, a few pots bubbling on the stove. Food already prepared sat on the wooden table. alongside a vase filled almost to the brim with roses of every colour. Meyrin smiled happily, and placed her pot amongst the dishes and plates already there. Lacus shook her head as she looked at all the food. "Murrue-san...didn't we say that we'd bring enough to eat? You didn't have to go to all this trouble.."

Murrue flushed, and focused her attention on one of the pots. "Well...I..." She smiled. "Mwu's outside in the garden, if you want to help him with anything..."

He was indeed outside. Fairy lights hung from the tree branches, a stepladder nearby. Mwu himself was inside the small shed at the end of the garden, digging out chairs to go around the small table set up under the trees. Andrew Bartfeld was there, wiping down the chairs, and Erica was helping by setting out plates and glasses on the table. More flowers stood on the table, this time, a mixture, chrysanthemums, carnations, tulips...a riot of colour to match the flowers already growing in every available space. After yelling a greeting from the inside of the shed, Mwu yanked out the last chair, plonked it on the grass, then set off up the garden to go get cleaned up. Athrun laughed as he watched the tall blonde form disappear inside the house. "He's certainly taken to this life well..." he mused.

Kira nodded. "After everything that happened to him, he sure does deserve this. As does Murrue-san. It's great to see them so happy together, finally..." Lacus smiled, fingering one of the tulips in the vase softly. "And I'm sure that he was just as lonely as she used to be." Meyrin had been quiet up until now, but suddenly piped up. "Is that what he was like..from when you knew him before? I didn't get to talk to him much..and he seemed kinda quiet and sad."

"Yes, this is how Mwu-san's meant to be. This is the way he always was before..."

Later that evening, the party started. All the guests clinked their glasses together in a toast, celebrating Murrue's thirtieth birthday. Utterly embarrassed, she leaned forward, hiding her face with her long dark hair, making everyone laugh. Mwu grinned, slipping his arm around his wife. "C'mon now.." he said, tilting her chin up with his other hand. "Being thirty isn't so bad, you know?" Murrue grumbled something about not wanting such a fuss making, smoothing out her long ivory dress with one hand.

"That's a pretty outfit.." said Lacus. "Was it a present?" In reply, the woman blushed again, and nodded.

The party stretched into the evening, the small group of people gathered around the table long after the sun had set, the fairy lights twinkling through the leaves of the trees. They ate, praising Meyrin's cooking skills, talking and laughing and swapping stories of how everyone's life was going. Andrew had become the ZAFT liason to Orb, and was now pretty high up in government. Mwu shared stories of what the students at the academy were up to, and even tried to persuade Kira to go and give a talk there, at which point the young man clammed up. And all the time, the little group worked their way through the bottles of wine that had been brought to the party, growing ever more talkative and giggly.

Until suddenly, there was a high-pitched wail from inside the house. Murrue moved to get up, but Mwu placed a hand on her arm. "You stay here. I'll sort her out.." His wife smiled. "Thanks. Could you bring her down here, too?"

A few moments later, he came back out into the garden, a tiny bundle in a pink blanket held securely in his arms. "Here she is. There was nothing wrong with her, she just wanted her mommy. Either that, or she didn't want to miss the party.."

Carefully taking the baby from Mwu's arms, Murrue smiled down into the little one's face. Stellar giggled at the sight of her mother, and waved her arms happily. Meyrin leaned over to peer at the infant. "She's so cute!"

Lacus laughed a little. "How fast she's grown since we last saw her...how old is she now?" Mwu grinned proudly, leaning over from beside Murrue to tickle his daughter's cheek with a finger. "Almost three months now."

After staring around at everyone with her large blue eyes, little Stellar gurgled contentedly, and settled down to sleep.

Athrun smiled. "She looks just like her mom.." Mwu pretended to pout at that. "Everyone always says that.." he whined. "Always say she looks like Murrue. No-one ever says that she looks like _me_..." Then he grinned again. "But at the same time, I'm kind of glad that she doesn't, really..." He gently lifted the sleeping child from her mother's arms, cradling her in his own. "And I'm sure...she'll be just as beautiful as her mom when she grows up..."

Murrue blushed again at that. "Will you stop _saying_ things like that?"

Laughing, Kira gestured to the sight of Mwu holding the baby. "I guess I was wrong. I suppose acting like a kid really can make someone a good dad..." The older man looked away at that, scarred face screwed up in another pout.

When the party was over, the seven guests, slightly the worse for wear, bid their goodbyes to the couple, Kira weaving his way up the street supported by Lacus, Milly not really safe to drive. Closing the door and locking it, Murrue trailed her fingers across the gifts she had recieved, the jewellery box, the bunches of flowers, and smiled. They were all such good people...

"So..." She looked up to see her husband standing there, shadowed in the doorway, "did you have a good day, birthday girl?" Flushing slightly, she nodded, taking the hand he offered her, and walking up the stairs with him. Little Stellar was already back in her crib in the silent nursery, and never stirred once when her mother leaned over the wooden sides of the crib and kissed her gently.

"You know..." said Mwu quietly, "being thirty really isn't so bad. I managed it, after all..." Murrue smiled softly, squeezing his hand that she held. "I know. And thank you..."

Reaching their bedroom, she let go of his hand, and wrapped her arms around his neck, nuzzling close to him with a happy murmur. He smiled, in turn embracing her. "Shall we get some sleep? It's pretty late.." he whispered, but she shook her head with a quiet giggle. She looked up into his eyes, her own amber ones shining. She was so close, her hair tickled his nose.

"Tonight, " she purred, "since it's my birthday, I get to choose.." He grinned at that, pulling her closer. "Oh? And what did you choose?"

For a reply, she kissed him passionately, reaching behind her to switch off the light.

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( Well, that was a sod to write, and I don't think it flows all that well. But I think it'll be okay. Lol, more random nothingness again, ne?

Please read and review! )


	108. Seashells

The small red car made it's way along the winding roads, nothing visible for miles save the vast expanse of countryside dotted with a few houses. In the front passenger seat of this car, a dark-haired woman studied the map she held, pointing out directions to the driver. They had decided to take a short holiday, before they had to go back to work, and their oldest child back to school. This child sat in the back seat, staring out of the window at the scenery that passed.

"It's so different out here, Mama...there are no houses or anything. Do people really live out here?"

The woman in the front seat smiled, folding up the map. "They certainly do. In fact, they live out here because it's so different. It's very quiet..."

The little girl returned to looking out of the car window. "When do we see the sea?" Her father spoke up from the driver's seat. "My buddy said that if you keep looking to the left, you should be able to see it when we get over that big hill just ahead."

The woman looked to him. "The one who let us borrow his beach house for the week?" He nodded.

The small family had rented a beach house from a friend of Mwu's at the academy. The house was in the north of Orb, in a small coastal town, and required a lot of driving to reach it. They had set off early that morning, occasionally stopping to stretch their legs, eat something, and swap drivers. Stellar had behaved well throughout the drive, looking out of the window, playing I-spy with her parents, and listening to story tapes. As for Lily..well, a drive lasting hours wasn't very interesting for an eighteen-month old baby, and she had quickly fallen asleep, blonde ringlets falling into her face..

"Okay, Stellar," called Mwu from the front seat. "We should be able to see the ocean any moment now.." The little girl eagerly sat up in her seat, straining to see any sign of it. And, as they drove over the top of the hill, she saw what she had been waiting for. The ocean stretched out in front of them, sparkling blue in the afternoon sunlight. The small town they were staying in nestled at the foot of the hill, and looked so inviting and pretty that both Stellar and Murrue gasped in surprise. The beach house lay just outside the town, a wooden structure painted blue and cream, with a tiny garden. Stretching her arms and legs, Murrue stepped out of the car onto the warm flagstones of the driveway, smiling as the sea air washed over her. They had arranged for the house key to be left in a flowerpot, and little Stellar quickly located the terracotta pot, pulling the key from it while her mother retrieved the sleeping Lily from the car.

"Here it is, Mama! Can I unlock the door, please? Can I?" The little girl bounced up and down, auburn pigtails bobbing, clearly over-excited. Murrue laughed. "Of course you can. But we have to help Papa with the luggage too, remember?"

Nodding once, Stellar unlocked the door and raced inside, feet tapping on the wooden floorboards. Still holding her youngest child, Murrue stepped inside the house, smiling happily at what she saw. The house was small, but cosy, all done out in pale wood. The air held the scent of pine and furniture polish, and the floor was carpeted with small rugs. To the right of the hallway she stood in was a small room which held a set of bunk beds, and a closet. Stellar was already there, having set her little satchel on the upper bunk. "Isn't it great, Mama?" Her blue eyes danced with excitement. "I can see the beach from the window! Can we go there?"

Murrue nodded, settling Lily down on the bottom bunk. "Later, we can. When we've unpacked. Come on, let's go help Papa get the bags."

Mwu had managed to get the bags inside. They hadn't brought all that much, knowing that the weather would most likely stay the way it was now, and at the moment, he had set his and Murrue's suitcase in the main bedroom, upon the blue sheets of the bed. The window had been left open, and fresh air billowed into the room, rustling the curtains. He grinned to himself as the breeze ruffled his blonde hair.

"What do you think?" He turned to the doorway at the sound of her soft voice. His wife stood there, small bag still over her shoulder, amber eyes softened in a smile. "It's perfect.." he said simply, crossing the room to take her in his arms. "Just what I needed..."

She nodded, nuzzling into his neck. "Well, you needed a break.." He laughed quietly. "I needed _you_. And the girls. I missed you guys so much while I was away...being able to spend this time wth all of you..without work getting in the way.." His voice trailed off, and Murrue wrapped her arms tightly around him. "I know, honey..." was all she said.

That evening, after eating the stew that they had brought from home, the little family went for a walk on the beach in the dusk. The sound of the waves was the only noise for miles, and Mwu and Murrue relished the peace and quiet, so different from the beach closer to home. Stellar raced about, dipping bare feet in the sea, looking for coloured shells. The sea air whipped her hair around her face, and made her cheeks rosy, a sight that made her parents smile. Growing up almost in the city, they'd worried that their daughter might become unhealthy. But here...there was nothing to worry about.

A soft murmur caused the two to look up. Lily had been riding on Mwu's shoulders, still sleeping...but now she woke up. "Where we?" she asked quietly, rubbing her eyes with a chubby fist.

Murrue reached up to take her youngest child into her arms. "We're at the seaside, sweetie. Look.." she said, pointing to the ocean. The toddler stared out at the water, blue eyes reflecting the colour of the ocean. Then she wiggled her legs, wanting to be let down.

"Want to see..." she said determinedly, beginning to walk towards the water, until her mother stopped her. "Not too far. We can go paddling tomorrow, okay? But the water's too cold right now."

Lily looked disappointed, until Stellar came racing up. "Hey, Lil...you wanna collect seashells?"

"Seashell?" asked the little girl, frowning. "What they?" Her sister smiled. "C'mon, I'll show you." Taking Lily's hand, Stellar walked to where she had already collected a small pile of shells. Lily followed, stumbling a little on the unstable sand. Their parents watched the two children, smiling happily, hands entwined.

"Stellar seems so much healthier now, doesn't she?" mused Murrue, laying her head on her husband's shoulder. He chuckled. "She's not the only one.." The sea air had also caused her pale cheeks to become rosy, increasing her beauty.

"I think this holiday was the right idea..."

The next day dawned bright and clear, and the family took a walk into the town near the sea. It was quiet, only a few cars on the road, and people shopping at the tiny bakery, or picking things up at the general store. Several more beach houses lined the roads, and a few families from them were already on the beach.

"Look, Mama! There are other people here! Are they on holiday too?" asked Stellar. "It looks that way.." replied Murrue, adjusting the parasol on Lily's pushchair. "Shall we go and say hello?"

The rest of the morning was taken up by the sound of children laughing and shouting, sea water being flung in every direction, causing tiny rainbows to appear in the warm air. Lily was a little afraid to paddle, alarmed at the way the sea rushed backwards and forwards. But Mwu showed her there was nothing to be scared of, running into the cool water himself, even kicking a little of the surf at Murrue. Lily giggled, trying to pick up some of the water in her hands, but ending up with nothing but wet sand, which formed strange shapes on the beach.

That afternoon, after a lunch of fish and chips at a small shop in the town, they drove to a clifftop reserve, a bird sanctuary. The sound of the sea hitting the rocks at the base of the cliff mingled with the eerie cry of the sea birds. The view was amazing, showing a panoramic vista of the coast, and the many hundreds of birds that had made their homes in between the jagged rocks. Flowers carpeted the clifftop, and Stellar gasped in delight, sitting down to show her baby sister how to make a crown from the sweet-smelling blooms. After a while, she pointed to the whitewashed lighthouse which stood at the end of the cliff. "What's that for, Papa?" she asked curiously.

"It's a lighthouse," replied her father, sitting down on the grass beside the children. "It's to stop ships hitting the rocks.."

Murrue had been quiet all this time, wide amber eyes taking in the sights all around her, lips parted in awe. "It's so beautiful here.." she breathed, holding tightly to Mwu's arm. "Like a dream, or something..." He smiled at that, fond expression on his scarred face as his wife leaned against him, closing her eyes and listening to the sounds of the birds.

That evening, back at the beach, Murrue found a discarded bucket and spade in one of the cupboards. "Hey, look here. You want to make sandcastles?" Stellar frowned. "How do you make those?" Her mother pretended to be scandalized. "You don't know how? Come on, I'll show you!" She marched down to the water's edge, hem of her skirt trailing in the sand. Her children followed behind, giggling at how serious she was being. Crouching down, Murrue carefully shovelled wet sand into the bucket, patting it down. Then, turning the bucket upside down, she pulled it away, revealing a perfectly made tower of sand. Stellar laughed, jumping up and down. "Me, me! Can I have a go, too?"

Mwu watched with a grin as his oldest daughter gingerly made the castle as her mother had showed her. "You know.." he remarked, "your mom taught _me_ how to make sandcastles too.." He knelt down beside his family, grin widening at the surprise on Stellar's face. "Really? You didn't know how, either? Didn't you go to the seaside when you were little?"

Mwu's smile became rueful. "Well...Dad was always too busy to take vacations to the sea...and my mom wasn't exactly the kind of person who'd have liked a place like this. So.." He shrugged, smiling at his wife when she placed a gentle hand on his arm.

"Oh, Mama, here." said Stellar, reaching into the pocket of her pink shorts. "I found it at the bird place.." In her tiny hand was a seashell, pure white interlaced with thin veins of pink and blue. "Isn't it pretty?" Her blue eyes were wide and hopeful as Murrue carefully lifted the shell into her hand. "It's beautiful..." she said gently, fingers closing around the delicate object. "Thank you so much..."

After finding pebbles and shells to decorate the newly finished sandcastle, the little family sat together on the beach, Lily on her father's lap, as they watched the sun set over the ocean.

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( Well, there you go. The bird sanctuary is based on a real place, a RSPB reserve on the Isle of Anglesey, in Wales. Birds feature a lot in my stories, ne? That's because I love birds a lot :happy:

I hope you like this...please read and review! )


	109. Sandcastles

The beach was his favourite place. Not because of the sun, or the sea, but because of the solitude it offered in the evening, when all the tourists and sun-worshippers had gone home. The only sound the rush of the waves...that was how he preferred it. It felt strange. Now he remembered his life before, he knew that people would expect him to be the way he had been, larger-than-life, cheerful and loud. But...he didn't feel like that. Large crowds of people...they made him uncomfortable. As Neo, he'd kept himself aloof, distant...and he wasn't used to that being different. Everyone here was so kind..but he didn't really know how to react to that kindness. He knew people were worried about him, but at this point in time, he was merely content to be like this. To be with her.

Murrue glanced up at the man walking beside her. Mwu was quiet..blue eyes trained on the white sand, his hand in hers. Gently, she squeezed his hand, smiling when he looked to her. He smiled back a little, corners of his lips quirking slightly, then the thoughtful expression descended once more.

"What's wrong?" she asked, tilting her head to look at him. "You know, Kira-kun and the others are worried about you..." Mwu only smiled again. "But not you?" he asked quietly, still clasping her hand. Murrue sighed, shaking her head. "A little. But..I think I understand, too. You're nervous, aren't you? Because of things you did in the last two years. You're worried what your friends might think of you.." She smiled. "Am I right?"

"Yes, you are.." he said, removing his hand from hers and instead wrapping an arm about her shoulders. "You know me too well..." His eyes were focused on the twilight sky, scarred face pensive. "All of you..you treat me exactly like the person I was before...but am I still him? After everything I did? Or did I become someone else? Can I...ever go back to the way I used to be?"

Murrue sighed, and placed a finger on his lips, moving around so she was facing him. "There you go again.." she said, with fond exasperation. "You know that it's going to be all right. And you know that Kira-kun..the others, they'd never blame you for anything that you did. Just like I wouldn't..." Leaning her head on his shoulder, she hugged him close. "You're _you_..."

Mwu hugged her back, her warmth soothing him. "What did I do to deserve you? You help me so much..and you're not even angry at me for leaving you alone. How can I repay you?" Murrue stared up at him, tears shimmering in her amber eyes.

"By being here..." she whispered.

In fact...she _was_ worried about him. Back on the _Archangel_, Mwu had been cheerful and happy, full of plans for a future they could spend together. But now...he was quiet and introverted. Perhaps...the _Archangel_ had been familiar..a home for him when he had no other. But now..he was on Earth, in a place he didn't know..having to get used to living a life without battle. He looked so lost sometimes that she wanted to cry. Murrue had tried her best to cheer him up, and it did seem to be working. But he really didn't look happy..the way she wanted him to be. She loved him more than anyone..and she wanted him to smile.

Mwu in turn, knew that Murrue was worried about him. The way her amber eyes were downcast, the tight grip of her hand in his..He wished that he could make her happy..the way she deserved. But did she deserve happiness from someone like him?

As he watched, Murrue removed her sandals, and stepped into the shallow surf, the sea water cooling her feet. The waves lapped at her ankles, and she giggled, holding up the hem of her skirt out of the water, auburn ponytail bobbing.

The sight was so pleasant..he couldn't help smiling. Something like this..he'd only been able to dream about. But now..it was reality. Murrue looked up at him, and her face lit up at his smile. Running towards him, she embraced him, squeezing so tight he could hardly breathe. "What is it?" he managed to ask. She only shook her head, nuzzling closer. "Nothing..." she murmured happily.

As the couple walked. they came across a pink plastic bucket, half-buried in the sand, clearly forgotten by a child. Murrue smiled, and, kneeling down, filled the pail with sand, patting it down. Mwu knelt down to join her, confusion on his face. "What are you doing?" In reply, she tipped the bucket upside down, and pulled it away, revealing a perfect sandcastle. Mwu blinked in surprise. She frowned slightly. "Didn't you ever make a sandcastle before?"

He shook his head silently, fascinated by the simple game. She smiled, and handed him the bucket. "Why don't you try?"

Carefully, he tipped sand into the bucket, expression of absolute concentration on his face. Gingerly, he turned the bucket upside down, and there was the castle. His face lit up in delight, and Murrue couldn't help giggling.

Together, they finished the castle, adding banks of sand in between the towers, and seashells for decoration. Afterwards, they sat together on the dry sand, watching their creation.

"You've really never made a sandcastle before?" she asked curiously. Mwu laughed a little. "No. Dumb, huh?"

"No.." she said quietly, the evening breeze blowing through dark hair. "Not at all..."

"Thank you...you're so kind.." he muttered softly, pulling her close. Murrue flushed, twisting her hands together, which made him smile again. "I'm sorry..for being this way. One day, I promise..I'll be able to be the person you knew before."

"That doesn't matter." she replied with a smile. "None of it. The person you were is part of the person you are now, and that won't ever change. As long as you're here, I don't mind. Because I love you. Whoever you want to be."

He didn't know what to say. Her simple faith and love made his chest feel tight. But really..there was only one thing he needed to say. One thing she needed to hear.

"I love you too..."

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( Now that _was_ weird. But..lol.

Please read and review! )


	110. You and I

She'd been looking forward to this for a long time. One day when she didn't have to be captain...where she could let someone else take the responsibility for the ship. Today..she was off duty. She'd already straightened out her bed, sorted through the pile of papers on her desk, and was just about to take a shower, resolving to tackle some of her overdue paperwork. Until there was a knock at the door...

_If this is someone wanting me to sign something, I swear I'll..._

But it wasn't. In fact...she knew when she opened the door that she should have easily guessed who it would be. He was standing there, jacket tucked under one arm, broad grin on his face. "Hi!" he said brightly. "Can I come in?"

Murrue rolled her eyes, stepping back and letting him in. "Aren't you on duty today?" Mwu beamed, wrapping her up in a hug. "Nope. Not today. We can spend the day together?" He was so hopeful, and clearly happy, that all she could do was sigh. "You pest. You did that on purpose..."

Pulling away from him, she made her way to the bathroom. "I was just about to take a shower, anyway.." Turning on the water, she wasn't a bit surprised to find out that he'd followed her. "No, go on. I'll be out in a little while.." Mwu made a small whining noise, and hugged her close. "Awww...so I can't join you?" Raising an eyebrow, Murrue pointed to the tiny shower stall. "There isn't enough room..."

He looked dejected for a moment, then brightened up. "Can I wash your back then?" Blushing, she looked up at him, then her shoulders slumped. "If you must. But I have to wash my hair first..."

Secretly though, she was rather looking forward to it...

So that was how she ended up standing turned away from him, wet hair draped over her shoulder, while he massaged soap into her back. Her amber eyes were closed, and she was smiling. Mwu grinned. He knew, that despite her complaints, that she loved this. The warm water cascaded down over her bare skin, and she gave a tiny sigh of happiness. Finally, when he was finished, he nudged her gently. "Murrue...hey, Murrue? Come on, wake up.."

She grumbled slightly, stepping out of the stall and wrapping a towel around herself. "You're too good at that..."she complained, poking a finger at his chest at his triumphant grin. Mwu was about to walk out of the bathroom, when she caught his wrist. Turning, he noted that her gaze was fixed on the floor, and she was blushing again. "What is it?" he asked softly, and her blush deepened.

"What..about you?" she asked quietly, voice barely above a whisper.

Which is how he ended up taking a shower too, this time, she the one to wash _his_ back. Her cheeks were poppy red, and she kept her gaze fixed straight ahead. _What was I thinking?_

Looking up, Murrue noted a faint scar winding across his back. It looked old, but also looked like it had been quite a nasty injury. Reaching up, she traced it gently with her fingers. "Where's that from?" Mwu twisted his head around, and smiled. "Eh, just an old injury. I had a bit of an accident back at the academy. It's okay."

Closing her eyes, she wrapped her arms around him from behind, getting her towel wet, but not caring. "You should be more careful.." He chuckled, the sound echoing through his chest. "It's all right, really. Just a scratch.." His hands reached up to take hers, and squeezed them. "Don't worry..."

After their shower, she stood in front of the bathroom mirror, drying her hair. She hummed to herself, content, then proceeded to drop the towel when Mwu wrapped his arms around her again, planting soft kisses on her neck. Sighing, Murrue reached up behind her to wrap an arm around his neck. "How did I know it would come to this? I shouldn't have let you in..." He didn't answer, instead letting go of her, turning her around slowly so he could undo the knot of her towel. "What are you doing?" she breathed, knowing she was blushing again. Mwu simply smiled, using the towel to carefully dry her still-damp skin. Murrue stood very still, almost frozen to the spot, her heart racing. When he had finished, she took the towel from him, and returned the favour, drying the droplets of water that still clung to his body. Afterwards they just stood there for a few minutes...then began laughing.

Standing on her tiptoes, she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Thank you..." she whispered. Mwu grinned, lifting her from the floor so she was cradled in his arms. "You're welcome.." he replied, leaning down to nuzzle the bare skin of her shoulder, breathing in the scent of her soap. Murrue giggled as his lips tickled her neck, looking up at him as he gently placed her on the bed. "You know..." she remarked idly, "I just made this bed.."

All he did was raise his eyebrows, a mischievous glint in his blue eyes. Very softly, his fingertips began to trail downwards across her body, causing her to smile and close her eyes. "But I guess...that doesn't matter..."

"Am I irresistible?"

She opened one eye to peer up at him, half her face buried in the soft pillow. "Irresistible, huh? I'm not sure.." she replied drowsily. "Insufferable, perhaps. And certainly irrepressible. But irresistible?" Mwu pretended to pout at that, reaching out to brush a lock of dark hair from her face. Murrue sighed, stretching out. "I'm so tired...and it's all your fault.." she grumbled, glaring up at him. "I had so much planned for today..and now I'm all sleepy again.." Mwu grinned. "What plans? Work?"

"A little.." she admitted. "But I also have to go pick up my laundry.."

"I'll get that for you.." he said cheerfully, getting up out of the bed and quickly donning his discarded uniform. She murmured her thanks as he left the room.

On his way back, carefully balancing the pile of clothing, he stopped by his own room to drop off his washed uniforms, and to pick up the book he was halfway through reading. Letting himself back into Murrue's quarters, he laughed quietly. She was fast asleep. Carefully sitting on the bed beside her, he pulled the sheet more securely over her sleeping form, pressing a soft kiss to her cheek.

_I'm glad she's resting..this is what she needs..._

A few hours later, even though he was absorbed in his book, Mwu glanced to the side, and smiled at the pair of warm amber eyes staring back at him. "Hey, sleepyhead.." he said, ruffling her dark hair fondly. Murrue smiled back, stretching out. "How long?" she murmured, mouth widening in a yawn.

"Four hours.." he informed her mildly. "It's lunchtime." He had to really try hard not to smile at her annoyed expression. "And I had so much I wanted to do today.." she mumbled, running thin hands over her face. She then peeked up at him again. "You stayed?"

Mwu nodded. "Of course. I wanted to spend the day with you.." Saving his page, he placed the closed book on the nightstand beside the bed. "Tell you what. Since it was partly my fault you fell asleep, I'll go fetch lunch. You hungry?" At her nod, he bent and kissed her lightly, slipping out to visit the mess hall.

When he returned, Murrue was up and dressed, standard issue T-shirt and white skirt. She had straightened out the hopelessly rumpled bed, and also folded up the strewn towels. Looking up as he entered the room, she stifled a giggle at the sight of him carefully balancing two loaded dinner trays, face screwed up in concentration. "Here.." she said, rubbing her face to keep from laughing. "Let me take one of those before you drop them.."

Gratefully, Mwu handed her one of the plastic trays, sitting down on the bed. Poking at the contents of the tray she held, Murrue wrinkled her nose. "Meatloaf?" The offending object sat there on the tray, surrounded by a sea of vegetables. "I hate meatloaf..."

"I figured you would.." replied Mwu, holding out the other tray. "Which is why I brought this." The other meal was chicken and rice, and she smiled. "Thanks.." she said, taking the offered tray, and handing him the other.

The couple ate in silence, surprisingly content with the simple meal and each other's company. Dessert turned out to be strawberries, and the two shared the fruit, their laughter ringing around the quiet room.

After dinner, he just pulled her into a hug. "I'm so glad we can do this..spend the whole day together. Just you and me.." Murrue didn't reply, just returned the embrace with a smile.

_I have to admit, he's right. I could get used to this..._

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( Hehehehehhehe.

Please read and review1 )


	111. Treehouse

_Where is he?_

Earlier, Mwu had driven off into the city without telling her why. And even though he was back now, the red car parked at an angle in the driveway, she still didn't know where he was. A paper bag of groceries sat on the kitchen counter, with a note in his messy handwriting, saying he'd managed to get everything they needed. But still...where had he got to? She'd heard the occasional sounds of banging and sawing from the bottom of the garden, but...

Stepping out into the garden, Murrue winced at the heat from the afternoon sunlight. He was out here somewhere, in this? "Mwu?"

No answer.

Walking through the grass, the long stems tickling her bare legs, Murrue looked around her. The trees provided shade from the worst of the heat, the flowers dancing slightly in the faint breeze. But..there wasn't anyone to be seen. "Mwu? Where did you go?"

At the end of the garden, near the fence, there stood the largest tree, a stately oak. And hanging down through the branches...was a leg. A leg clad in denim shorts, a long, winding scar stretching from ankle to knee. Murrue smiled, shaking her head, and reached up to lightly tickle the bare foot. The owner of the foot yelled from somewhere in the tree, and the leg disappeared.

"What are you doing?" she called, and a moment later, he appeared upside down, pretending to scowl. "That wasn't nice.." he huffed, making Murrue laugh again. She shaded her eyes from the sun, trying to peer up into the tree. "So, what are you doing?" Mwu simply grinned. "That's a secret!" With that, he disappeared again.

A little while later, while she was sitting reading in the garden, Mwu came down from the tree. Bounding up to her, he took her hand excitedly. "Here, come on, come look!" he said, scarred face lit up in a huge smile. Murrue giggled. "What is it?" she asked, closing the book and following him, covering her smile at his obvious delight. When they reached the tree, Mwu grabbed hold of a low-hanging branch, swinging himself up into the tree. After a moment, his hand appeared. "Here, come on!" he called.

Taking the hand, Murrue found herself being pulled up into the branches..onto a wooden platform built onto the tree. She blinked, amber eyes taking in her surroundings. A section of branches had been cleared too, to show a large patch of blue sky dotted with clouds.

"A treehouse?"

Mwu grinned, clearly very proud of himself. "Yep!" Leaning back on the platform, he looked up at the sky, his eyes reflecting the colour. "I always wanted one when I was a kid.. Growing up..there were tons of trees in our garden, all pruned to within an inch of their lives. I wasn't supposed to climb them, but I did anyway. But there was no way I'd ever have been allowed a treehouse. So I remember..promising myself that when I grew up, got my own garden...I'd build my own treehouse..." He looked up at Murrue, face slightly troubled. "Is that stupid?"

"No, of course not.." she reassured him with a smile. Lying back to join him, she stared up into the sky. "It's a great idea..."

The tree branches shaded them from the heat of the sun, and the breeze rustling through the leaves cooled them, the sound relaxing. "I have an idea.." she said after a while, eyes closed. "Why don't we eat dinner up here?"

Mwu smiled lazily. "That sounds great..."

So that was how the two of them ended up, having also brought cushions and a blanket from inside the house. Eating home-made burgers halfway up a tree. Having proceeded to pile his burger high with onions, cheese slices, mustard and relish, Mwu bit into it happily, getting ketchup on his chin. Murrue shook her head, stifling a giggle as she nibbled her own burger. She had made quite a few, knowing what his appetite was like. But still...it always made her happy to see him like this...enjoying her cooking.

_Odd how something so simple can seem so important..._

"So..." he said after the last burger had been eaten, "is it a good treehouse? It's pretty simple, but..."

Murrue smiled, leaning against the tree trunk. "It's very well made.."

Mwu wiggled his bare toes as he chewed on a twig. "You know.." he mumbled around the twig, "I made so many plans when I was a kid, but forgot them as I got older. Now, for some reason, I remember them very clearly. I wonder why that is?"

"Maybe.." Murrue wondered aloud, pushing back the dark hair from her face, "that when you got your memories back..it reawoke some of the older ones?"

He grinned, happy at that thought. "You could be right.." he admitted, wrapping an arm around her. "So, do you remember your childhood?" She nodded. "Bits and pieces. But I never had a treehouse either.."

"Well, then!" he said happily, hugging her tightly, " we can share this one! What do you think?"

Murrue was about to scold him for being so childish, but he looked so genuinely delighted..she couldn't do it. Instead, she hugged him back, and kissed his cheek.

"I think that sounds like a good idea..."

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( Now that was mindless XD. But fun.

Please read and review! )


	112. Yubikiri

The waves of the sea pounded the beach, becoming white surf as they hit the sand. Along this beach, warmed by the afternoon sunlight, a young woman walked, being followed by a group of small children. The children laughed and played, chasing each other, and stopping to look at the seashells the woman pointed out to them. As they ran, one of the children looked up to see a figure approaching them from the other side of the beach. "Oh! Look, it's Murrue-san!" she shouted, and almost as one, she and her friends ran to swarm around their visitor.

Lacus watched her older friend kneel down with some effort to hug the orphans, and shook her head, exasperated. Crossing the sand to where the tangle of people were, she bent to help Murrue back to her feet. "Here, come on.." she scolded the older woman in her soft voice. "Aren't you supposed to be at home resting?"

Murrue rolled her eyes, linking her arm with her younger friend's. "I'm _fine_. I couldn't stay in the house all day..." Her expression was very much like a pout. "I hate being cooped up like that. And I wanted to see everyone, so..." She beamed. "Mwu has the car today, since he's at work. So I caught the bus, and walked the rest of the way."

Lacus frowned. "That's a long way to walk. Especially if you're..." She waved a hand to indicate Murrue's condition. But Murrue only laughed. "I've walked further than that before. And it was nice. I enjoyed it!"

_Sure..it was a long walk..and I am kind of tired now. But it was nice..and it's such a lovely day..._

As they entered the little wooden house, Lacus practically forced Murrue to sit down on the worn sofa, fetching her a cold drink. Murrue attempted to protest, but the pink-haired girl wouldn't hear any of it. Outwardly annoyed, but inwardly grateful, Murrue sighed as she sipped the drink, smiling at the antics of the orphan children. After a while, a side door opened, squeaking as it did so, and little Meyrin entered the room, face lighting up as she saw the visitor. "Oh, hello, Murrue-san!" she said happily, sitting down on the sofa beside her.

"So.." said the girl brightly, "you're off on maternity leave now?"

Murrue smiled, patting her swollen stomach. "That's right. I have about a month to go now.." Lacus frowned, coming over from where she was fixing juice for the children. "Shouldn't you have gone on leave earlier?"

"Well..I had so much to finish, and I..." The auburn-haired woman sighed. "Probably. And I know Mwu would have been happier if I did. But I hate the idea of sitting around for months..doing nothing, when I could have stayed at work..."

"And is everything ready?" asked Lacus, deftly changing the subject. "At home?"

Murrue smiled, pale face showing delight and anticipation. "Oh yes. The nursery's been ready for a while now, and the doctor checked me over last week and said everything was fine. All I have to do now is wait..."

"But aren't you nervous?" asked Meyrin, pushing a lock of red hair over her shoulder. Murrue laughed softly, hand on her stomach again. "Yes..very. It's a big responsibility...and a lot to get used to. But I'm sure that we'll be all right." Her lips curved in a mischievous grin. "Actually, I think Mwu's even more nervous than I am. He tends to wrap me up in cotton wool sometimes...that's partly why I came here today..."

Lacus sighed, sitting down on the sofa, one of the children in her lap. "So..he doesn't know that you're here?"

The silence that followed the question was the only answer she needed.

The three of them sat there for a while, chatting and laughing about all the things that had happened, catching up on whatever gossip was biggest at the moment. Until, all of a sudden, Murrue's amber eyes flashed open, and she gasped slightly, pressing one hand to her stomach.

"Are you okay?" asked Meyrin nervously. But her friend smiled, reassuring her. "Yes, I'm fine. He's kicking again, that's all..."

The child on Lacus' lap leaned forward suddenly, patting Murrue's stomach with a tiny hand. His face wore a sad smile. "Momma..was like this too.." he said quietly. "She said that I was..gonna have a little brother or sister soon. But she.." Tears appeared in his eyes, and he sniffled. Murrue smiled softly, ruffling the boy's hair. "It's all right. When this little one's born, he or she can be your little brother or sister too, okay? It's the same for all of you." The little boy's eyes widened. "Really?"

"Really.." she replied warmly. The boy reached forward and hugged her. "Thank you!"

"So.." began Meyrin with a laugh, "you don't know whether you're having a boy or a girl?"

"No.." admitted Murrue "We wanted it to be a surprise...Although.." her voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper. "I'd really like a little girl.."

She stayed there a while, finishing the cool drink, and playing games with the children, in between teasing Lacus and Meyrin about their growing relationships. Finally, when the shadows began to grow longer, the sun dipping below the horizon, Murrue got to her feet slowly, stepping into her sandals. "Well..I'd better be on my way. He'll be wondering where I am..."

Looking up at the door, she started in surprise...as he was standing there, leaning against the wooden frame, one eyebrow raised.

"Mwu!" she gasped. "How did you know I was here?" Looking behind her to Lacus, she asked "You called him?"

"No, she didn't." replied Mwu, causing Murrue's attention to shift back to him. "I guessed where you were. You weren't at work when I called Erica..so I tried here, and got lucky. Now come on.." he said, tipping his head to the waiting car, "let's get you home."

Waving goodbye to her friends, she took her husband's hand as he helped her into the car, and they drove away.

Mwu never spoke on the drive home, clearly quite angry with her. His blue eyes were fixed on the road ahead, and he never reacted when she tried talking. Finally, she sighed, looking out of the car window.

"I'm not sorry, you know.." she said quietly. "I just needed to get out..to see people, that's all." That got a reaction. Mwu looked up at her for a moment, then sighed too, shoulders slumping. "I understand that.." he replied. "But still..you know you need to rest up more now. Walking all that way isn't good for you..."

Murrue smiled, glancing across at him. "You always take such good care of me.." Her smile became impish. "Maybe _too_ good.."

He laughed at that, the merry sound echoing through the car. "Okay...I get the message. I'll ease up a little - if you do." His grin became teasing. "No more five-mile walks when you're eight months pregnant, okay?"

Murrue giggled. "All right. But if I want to go out, then _you_ have to take me. Deal?"

Mwu nodded, holding out his pinky finger. "Deal." She curled her own pinky finger around his, and they shook on their promise, laughing all the time.

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( Heheheheheheehehehe...

Please read and review! )


	113. One Hour

( This be a sequel to 'Afterwards' (chapter 68) I hope you like it! )

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He'd been awake a while. Even though he'd been so tired the night before, he'd woken up quite early, the returned memories cycling through his mind while he slept. Memories mixed with dreams, the past with the future. And he had slept far better last night than he remembered sleeping in the last two years. Because now..she was beside him again.

Even though the room was still dark, Mwu didn't need to be able to see to know she was there, curled up on her side, fast asleep. Reaching out slowly, he brushed his fingertips across her cheek, smiling when she murmured something incoherent.

_My Murrue..._

He remembered her, everything about her. The memories now were as clear as they had ever been. He remembered how she hated meatloaf, but loved strawberries. That her favourite flowers were roses and lilies. He knew where she was most ticklish, and that she was afraid of thunderstorms. There was so much that he'd been missing..but not anymore.

Wrapping his arms around her again, Mwu snuggled closer to the sleeping Murrue, nuzzling his face into her thick auburn hair.

_I don't deserve your love..but I'll never let you go again. Wherever you go..I want to be by your side..._

In the darkness, Murrue stirred, stretching out. She was surprised for a moment by the warm feel of someone's embrace, and turned to face the one who held her. At first, her face registered confusion, then, as she remembered the previous day, the confusion melted into serenity and happiness. "Hi.." she whispered, amber eyes softened with her smile. Mwu grinned, propped up on one elbow. "Hi."

Reaching up, Murrue ran a hand through his long blonde hair. "You know.." she murmured, "that'll take some getting used to.." Her fingers trailed down, winding a lock of his hair around them. He laughed. "I can get it cut, if you want.."

She smiled. "That's your decision, isn't it?" She didn't say anything more, just gazed at him affectionately, his hair still wrapped around her fingers. After a while, Mwu chuckled again. "What is it?"

"Nothing.." she replied softly, a tear glistening in the corner of an eye. "It's just that..I dreamed of something like this more times than I could count. Of us being here together like this...that by some miracle, I'd find you. But my dreams..they never went beyond that. Now that it's really happened, what next? Where do we go from here?"

He smiled, kissing her cheek gently. "Well, we're going to Orb, right? Now that the war's finally over, we can go home. After that...who knows?"

"Well, what would you like to do?" she asked, a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. Mwu considered that for a moment, or pretended to. "I think.." he mused, trying not to smile, "that I'd like to be with you. As long as you want me around, that is..."

Murrue smiled, blushing slightly. "That sounds nice. But I think that we should get used to being back together before things get...serious, don't you?"

His arms still wrapped around her, Mwu leaned down to brush dark hair from her face, lips nibbling her neck. "I think.." he whispered, breath hot on her skin, "that things are already 'serious'. Don't you?" She giggled, attempting to push him away. "That's...not what I meant!"

His fingers were gently stroking her bare arms, soft kisses still being planted on her neck. Even though Murrue knew she should push him away..she was finding it almost impossible to resist him. _I've been so lonely..for so long..._Her body tingled all over as his hands crept downwards, and she wanted so badly to just give in to him. But then she remembered something. Managing to pry her eyes open, she looked up at him. "I have to be on duty..in an hour.." she whispered. "We should..."

Mwu gazed down at her, seeing the pink that had gathered on her pale cheeks. He could hear her heart racing, and smiled. He knew that it would have been better to take things more slowly...but he had wanted this..dreamed of this...for a long time. Even before his memories had returned.

"Should what?" he murmured in between kisses. "Stop? You want to stop?" Still caressing her soft skin, he kissed her passionately, inwardly grinning as he heard the soft moan from her throat.

When he broke the kiss, she stared up at him, deep into his blue eyes, the scarred handsome face she remembered so well..loved so much. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she finally relaxed into his embrace, fingers raking down under his T-shirt.

"No..." she whispered quietly, pulling him down for another kiss.

_But it's been two years. Will one hour be long enough?_

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( Mwaaahahahahahahahaahaaaaa XD. Lime! Cos big sis likes lime :P

Please read and review! )


	114. Listening

It was breakfast time. A small group of people were already sitting at the mess hall tables when he walked in, and they smiled, and some greeted him with a cheerful "Good morning!" which he returned with a smile. Poking amidst the items offered for breakfast, he finally selected a slice of toast and a bowl of cereal, which he sat down to eat. The other diners chatted with each other, sometimes laughing as they ate and drank...and he couldn't help but shake his head about how different this all was.

_Before..on my old ship, the mess hall was very similar to this. But only in design, not in any other sense. Meals were usually eaten quietly..no chatter. And I...I always ate alone. It wasn't done for the captain to socialise with his crew. But here..._

Here..he wasn't in command. And he had also discovered that he was actually happier to be around people than he had been alone. It was a very strange feeling...a big change. But it was much better - _felt_ much better than before.

After breakfast, he made his way down the corridor, the same way he went every morning...to visit her. Up ahead, he could see that the door to her office was open, and she was standing there outside with the ginger-haired CIC officer. The two of them were talking, and as he watched, the Captain tipped her head back in a laugh, dark hair flowing over her shoulders. He couldn't help but smile.

_This place is so strange still. Even though those two are captain and subordinate, they're equal. Friends. That wouldn't have happened before.. _His smile faded, being replaced by a pensive look. _That's true. Back there, I was respected. But I doubt that I was liked. Here, she's respected too. But that respect is born from friendship and kindness, not just because she's captain..._

When the captain finally took leave of her friend, she turned around, seeing him standing there against the wall. Her amber eyes softened in a smile. "Good morning, Colonel.." she said, and Neo smiled back. "Good morning.."

Inside her office, he made coffee for the two of them, the same as he did every morning. Both the routine, and the chance to speak with her, were comforting..and familiar. As they sat sipping their drinks, they chatted for a while, polite conversation between friends. Neo could tell that the Captain enjoyed their talks, but at the same time, she seemed rather wistful. As though she was remembering other conversations..and he could well imagine who those talks had been with.

He sighed, leaning back against the sofa, mug still in hand. The Captain studied him for a moment, confusion on her pretty face. "What's wrong?" she asked quietly, soft voice concerned. He shook his head. "It's nothing..don't worry."

_Why am I so much happier here than I was there? It shouldn't hold. Here, I'm not in command, I'm nobody special. Sure, I have authority, but otherwise, I'm just the same as everyone else. Am I happier...because I really prefer it that way? Or because I get to be with her?_

But happiness wasn't the only emotion Neo felt that was unfamiliar. At the same time...he felt loneliness, the feeling almost suffocating. He'd been alone for a long time...as long as he could remember. Before, it hadn't bothered him. He'd always figured that he was better off alone. But now..he had friends, and had hence discovered how painful loneliness really was.

_That's part of the reason I want to be with her as much as I can. Not just because I love her...and I do love her. But because...we're the same inside. We're both lonely._

The conversation starting up again, their talk drifted to about life on board ship. The Captain asked him about his own ship, but he'd been reluctant to talk about that. "It's not that interesting. Everyone just went about their business..and kept to themselves. There was never much to do, or say..What about this ship?"

The woman smiled, looking up at the ceiling. "Well...this ship's crew was never the most conventional. What with people flying in out of nowhere, and a group of students on board, it was never going to be the most efficient crew. But we managed."

"Was that Kira-kid one of the students?" asked Neo curiously. At her nod, he grinned. "I figured that. But who flew in out of nowhere?"

The Captain's smile vanished, and her eyes trained on her lap. Neo could have kicked himself. _Dammit..it must have been him. That Mwu... _"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked that.."

"No.." she said gently, and to his surprise, she was smiling. "It actually doesn't hurt that much to mention him." Her smile became rueful. "I never get the chance to talk about Mwu to anyone. No-one who knew him mentions him around me..probably because they're worried about making me sad. But still, I..."

"You _want_ to talk about him, don't you?" asked Neo quietly. "Then..why don't you tell me about him?" The Captain looked to him, expression one of worry. "It's okay.." he reassured her. "I'd like to hear about him..what he was like."

So, hesitantly at first, but with growing confidence, she began to tell him. About how she and Mwu met, what he was like, the things he did, the tricks he played sometimes. The way he teased her, and how she had slowly fallen in love with him. Neo listened in silence, noting the soft smile on the woman's face as she spoke of her lost loved one. Finally, as her voice tapered off, he spoke up. "He sounds like a good person."

"He was.." she replied, wiping a tear from her eyes. "He could be childish sometimes, and annoying. But he was so kind. I loved him very much - I still do, and always will.. I..." It was as though she'd forgotten who she was talking to. But when she looked up, she gasped at his sad expression.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have..." But Neo waved a hand, smiling a little. "No, that's okay. I'm happy that you can talk about him with me..that you trust me enough to tell me about him."

The Captain still looked apologetic, but sighed, and returned the smile. "I do. I feel like I can tell you anything..and that's not something I'd feel about just anyone. Thank you."

"Well..we're friends, aren't we?" he said, reaching out to take her hand. "Anytime you want to talk, I'll be here to listen."

She nodded, her smile growing. After a moment, she leaned forward to hug him tightly. Neo was taken aback for a second, then hugged her back, wrapping his arms around her and closing his eyes.

_It does hurt..that she's still so devoted to this Mwu. But at the same time...she trusts me...and cares about me. What else could I ask for?_

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( Weeeelll... when you lose someone you love, you want to talk about them. But when the ones you speak to knew your loved one too, their sympathy can be coloured by their own memories of that person. I just thought that if there was anyone Murrue-san could talk to about Mwu..it would be Neo-san.

Please read and review! )


	115. Discovered

It was a Saturday afternoon, and the city was packed full of shoppers and tourists. Outside a small cake shop, a man waited with a few bags. Looking up at the sky, he wiped his forehead clear of sweat, loosening the damp tendrils of blonde hair that clung there.

_Damn..it's hot. I wish she'd hurry up..._

Leaning a little further against the stone wall of the shop, he sighed. All of a sudden, he heard a voice calling his name. A voice he'd never thought he'd hear again. The voice of a person he'd been sure had been killed. "Hey, Mwu!"

Turning his head, he saw the face of someone familiar, yet strange. "Sam? The man running towards him was grinning ear-to-ear, waving until he finally made it through the crowd to where Mwu was standing. Grabbing Mwu's hand, the man shook it eagerly, clearly happy to see an old friend again. "It's been forever! How are you? I didn't expect to find you here!"

"Likewise.." replied Mwu, pleased, but at the same time guarded. "What are you doing here? Aren't you still with the Alliance?"

Sam looked surprised for a moment, but nodded. "Yeah..But I'm here on holiday right now. So, what have you been up to?"

Mwu shrugged. "This and that. Nothing special.." Without his friend noticing, he moved slightly so he was in front of the shop window...hiding the one inside from outside view.

Inside the shop, Murrue had just picked out a cake for dessert later that night, when she noticed Mwu was talking to someone outside. Squinting a little against the harsh sunlight beyond the window, she frowned as she saw the way her boyfriend was acting. Mwu seemed tense, worry in every line of his body. As she watched, he slowly moved in front of the window..as though shielding her.

_I wonder why that is? Why he's so worried?_

Paying for the dessert, she pushed open the door and stepped outside. Mwu looked startled, as did the one he was speaking with. Pretending not to notice, Murrue smiled, holding up the cake box. "I bought your favourite. Sorry I was so long.."

Mwu seemed too surprised to say anything, so she stepped forward. "Who's your friend?" She nudged him playfully. "Come on, introduce us!"

After a moment, Mwu gestured to the stranger. "This is Sam...an old buddy of mine from our academy days. I haven't seen him in...God, how long _has_ it been?"

The man - Sam - recovered enough to shrug with a faint smile. "I have no idea. At least ten years.."

Murrue smiled again. "That's wonderful!" Taking out a scrap of paper from her bag, she tucked a lock of auburn hair behind her ear as she scribbled down their address. "Here.." she said, holding out the scrap. "You have to come for dinner tonight. It would be nice to hear what Mwu was like at the academy. Is seven 'o' clock all right?" At Sam's slow nod, she bent to pick up some of the shopping bags. "Good. We'll see you tonight, then!"

As the two of them walked down the crowded pavement to where their car was parked, neither of them said much to each other. Murrue could tell that Mwu was angry, and worried. Finally, he turned to her, blue eyes narrowed. "What did you think you were doing? What if he's been sent by the Alliance to find us?"

Murrue sighed, shifting a bag to the other hand. "He'd already found you, hadn't he? And I couldn't have stayed in that shop forever. Besides, what if he _hasn't_ been sent to find us?" Mwu didn't look convinced, but shrugged. "Maybe. But still..."

She smiled, squeezing his hand. "We'll find out later..."

That evening, the three of them sat around the scrubbed wooden table in the kitchen, eating the meal that had been prepared. Sam was rather quiet, staring all around him, taking things in. Every so often, his gaze would flick to Murrue, even while he laughed and joked about the past with Mwu. Mwu himself was friendly, and returned Sam's jibes with ones of his own. But he was still guarded, noting every little thing his comrade did and said. Murrue just listened, laughing occasionally at a funny anecdote. But she always watched Sam, her suspicion growing as the other man got more and more nervous.

After dinner, she stood out in the garden, the sound of crickets in the air as dusk approached. Sam was there, sitting on the wide ledge of the fish pond, looking all around himself again, as though memorising everything he saw. Murrue smiled politely, scraping the leftovers from dinner onto the wooden bird table. "So, did you enjoy the dinner?"

"Very much.." replied the man. "You're an excellent cook." She smiled at that. "Thank you."

Sam looked fidgety, not able to meet her knowing amber gaze. "You know, don't you? Why I'm here?" he said finally, eyes fixed on the floor. She smiled again, this time, the expression sadder. "I have a pretty good idea. They sent you here to find us, didn't they?"

He slumped. "I should have known you'd figure it out. I wasn't sure whether Mwu had, though."

"Oh, I'm sure he has.." answered Murrue, sitting down beside him. "And you can't blame him for that."

"Then why didn't either of you say anything? Why invite me here?"

She turned slightly, looking into the depths of the water behind her. "Because I wanted to be sure. And perhaps...I was curious about your friendship with Mwu. Why did they send you...if you're his friend?"

Sam stood up, pacing. "Because they didn't know Mwu was here! All I was ordered to do was find _you_. Lieutenant Commander Murrue Ramius, the captain of the battleship _Archangel_. I was ordered to find you..and bring you back with me. As far as they knew, Mwu was dead...killed at Alaska. No-one had any idea that he'd be here...least of all be here with _you_."

_So...he has no idea about Neo. He must have been Blue Cosmos' dirty little secret._

"Why do they want me?" asked Murrue, idly checking her fingernails, as though his statement had meant nothing.

Sam sighed. "Because they need you. Need people like you. With everything that happened..in the war, with ZAFT...they need experienced ship commanders."

"What if I refuse to go?" she asked, keeping her voice flat and neutral. "Will they send others here too? You know that you can't force me to leave..."

He nodded. "I know that. And oddly, I was told not to force you..only to try and persuade you. The Alliance doesn't have the manpower or resources left to go and round up every stray officer that left. They're more interested in consolidation now. Which is why they need you."

Murrue smiled softly. "I can't. And I won't. My home is here now. With my friends...with _him_." She looked up behind Sam to see Mwu standing there, his arms folded. "I'm staying here.."

"I figured that..." replied Sam. "But I had to try."

"Why would they think that she _would_ go back?" asked Mwu suddenly, coming to stand behind Murrue and place a protective hand on her shoulder. "Do you have any idea what they pulled on us back in the first war? How they left us to die?"

"Mwu..please..." she softly rebuked. "That's the past now. It doesn't matter. But he's right..I won't go back. I have a life here now, which is far too important to give up. Please tell them...that while it's nice to be appreciated..I'm not the same person I was two and a half years ago. Whether they consider me a traitor, or a deserter..it was my own decision, and one I'm sticking with."

Sam smiled. "I understand. And I'll tell them. Sorry for having to ask that...and it was really great to find out that you're okay, Mwu. I get the impression that you won't want me to tell them that you're here. And since..I owe you a favour from the old days...I won't."

Mwu smiled at that, this time genuinely. "Thanks, buddy..."

"Were you worried?"

Murrue turned to Mwu as the two of them sat on the garden swing. His blue eyes reflected the moonlight, and she could clearly see the worry there. "Yes.." she admitted. "A little. But I knew that they wouldn't be able to force me to go back..."

"Funny really. You'd probably have been okay if you had gone back..But I wouldn't have let you go.." he said, wrapping his arms around her. Murrue sighed, leaning back into his embrace. "I couldn't have gone. Leave all this...leave _you_? After all that time by myself? Not a chance. Even if the offer was rather flattering.." She laughed at his surprised expression. "Well...being in command of a ship, just like that? "

"But you aren't a soldier anymore.." he reminded her. "You gave that up. And it's better that way..or at least, _I_ think it is. I never want you to fight again, okay?"

She smiled, closing her eyes. "Protective as always. But I have to admit..I much prefer being a civilian now.."

"That's good to hear. After all..it's not easy for a soldier to be a mother too.."

She turned around sharply in his arms, blushing scarlet at his offhand remark. And all he did was grin.

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( Well...I'm not really sure where that idea came from. But hey, it turned out pretty good!

Please read and review! )


	116. Yukata

The morning sunlight shone down upon the white sand, the heat from it already strong despite the early hour. As the orphan children laughed and shouted, running around in an endless game of tag, three women walked along the sand's edge, the cool surf wetting their feet. A light breeze blew from the sea, toying with the straw hat one of the women wore. She laughed, the soft giggle making her friends smile as she held onto her hat, auburn hair blowing over her shoulders.

One of her friends, an older woman with dark hair, took her arm. "It's nice to see you smiling again..we were worried about you.." The younger girl with them nodded, an impish smile on her pretty face. "So...things are going well for the two of you then?"

The auburn-haired woman pinked slightly, amber eyes trained on her bare feet. "Well...it's only been a few months...and it's taking time. To get used to being together, I mean, after all that's happened. We are happy though..and things are getting better every day, and.."

Lacus raised an eyebrow. "There's a 'but' here, isn't there? What's wrong?"

Murrue sighed, pulling off the straw hat. "It's not how I imagined it. What with work, and the end of the peace talks coming up...we hardly see each other. Just in the evenings, and we're too tired to do much else but eat dinner and go to sleep. It's not much better than before. I didn't want things to be this way.."

Lacus smiled, taking her friend's hand. "You two just need to make time for each other, that's all." The young woman brightened as an idea occured to her. "In fact, there's a festival next week...in the park. Why don't you invite Fllaga-san to go with you?"

Caridad nodded, leaning over to whisper something in Murrue's ear. The laughter of the three women echoed along the quiet beach as they hatched their idea.

A few days later, Murrue sat curled up on the blue sofa in her bedroom, a pile of material on her lap. She'd just got in from work, and had immediately continued with her 'project', knowing there was only a couple of days left before the festival. She was concentrating on her work so hard, she never noticed someone creeping up behind her. At least, not until he pounced, wrapping strong arms around her shoulders and placing a kiss on her cheek. She jumped at the embrace, then laughed as she felt him nuzzle his face into her thick hair. "You scared me..." she scolded gently, but Mwu only grinned. Hopping over the back of the sofa, he sat beside her, pulling her into a hug. "You okay?" he asked, kissing her cheek again. He traced her features with his fingertips, frowning at the dark circles under her eyes. "You look tired.."

"I'm okay, Mwu, don't worry.." Murrue reassured him. "I've just been kind of busy today, that's all..."

The blonde man sighed, then brightened suddenly. "Tell you what. I'll run a nice hot bath for you. How's that sound?" She wasn't able to answer, her cheeks pinking in embarrassment. But she did smile.

"Do you feel better now?"

Murrue looked down to where he was lying on the bed beside her, and nodded, her thin fingers reaching out to brush a lock of his long hair from his face. "Much better. Thank you.." she replied, breathing in the scent of the lavender bath oil. "But what brought that on?"

Mwu grinned, moving up to where she was sitting, and resting his head in her lap. "Because I wanted to.." he admitted. "And because...I missed you. We haven't seen much of each other lately, have we?"

"I was thinking the same.." she replied, hand resting on the material laid out on her lap. "But I have an idea about that. Lacus-san told me about a festival taking place in the park on Saturday. You want to go?"

He beamed, delighted. "What, like a date?" She giggled at his obvious happiness. "If you like..."

Sitting up, Mwu pulled her into a tight hug, making her laugh again. He rubbed his cheek against hers. "That sounds perfect..." His blue gaze drifted down to the fabric she held. "Hey...what's that?"

Murrue smiled, picking up the material and holding it close to herself. "It's a secret, honey..." He whined a little at that, trying to peek at what she held, but she wouldn't let him look. He was about to give up and pretend to sulk...when he noticed her fingers. The ends of them were dotted with tiny needle wounds, the injuries turning red and scabbed. At the same time, she noticed him looking, and tried to curl her hands so he wouldn't see, but he easily caught one hand between both of his own. "What happened? That looks painful.." Murrue shook her head with an embarrassed smile. "I'm okay. I'm just not too good at sewing, that's all."

Mwu sighed, and softly kissed her fingertips. "Please be more careful..."

"I will." she promised. "And this is really a present for you, so you can see it when it's finished, okay?" He cheered up at that, and pressed a kiss to her lips. "Then I'll be looking forward to seeing it.."

On the Saturday evening, he was standing at the garden gate, waiting. Since the festival was pretty close by, the two of them had decided to walk there. Mwu looked down at himself, poking at the white shirt and jeans he wore. Murrue had disappeared for a while before they left, saying that she had to get ready.

_What could she be doing that would take so long?_

A clatter shook him from his musing, and he looked up in surprise. Then...he stared.

She was standing there in the doorway, dark hair carefully braided and tied up. But that wasn't what made him stare. Murrue was dressed in a pale pink summer kimono, complete with lilac sash. She even wore wooden sandals on her small feet. She noticed his reaction, and flushed pink, amber eyes focused on the purse she carried. "W-what do you think?" she asked, so quietly he barely heard her.

"You look amazing.." he said softly, once he'd found his voice. "Is that what you were making?" She nodded, still blushing, and walked up to where he waited. "Shall we go then?" she asked, taking his hand with a gentle smile

The atmosphere of the park was really rather romantic, despite the chatter of the crowds from the festival stalls up ahead. The darkened groves were lit by white lamps, their soft glow attracting moths. Mwu and Murrue walked together in the quiet for a while, happy to get this chance to be with each other.

"What would you like to do first?" she asked shyly, and he smiled. Letting go of her hand, he ran off towards the festival, leaving her standing there alone. "Mwu..where are you..."

After a few moments, he returned..with a tray of takoyaki. Murrue couldn't help laughing. "You and your stomach.." she chided him, taking his arm. He just shrugged, spearing one of the octopus treats. "I bought them to share. Want one?" he asked innocently, offering her the snack. She rolled her eyes, but took it anyway, popping it into her mouth.

"This place might be too big a temptation for you.." she mused as they shared the takoyaki. "They sell so much food here..."

He grinned. "You really do look beautiful tonight.." he said proudly. Murrue flushed again, whacking him on the arm. "Don't change the subject!"

"But I mean it.." he protested. "You do!" She sighed, shaking her head. But after a moment, she peeked back up at him through her eyelashes. "Really?"

Mwu laughed, taking her hand and kissing it gently. "Really. And you made that yourself? The kimono?"

She nodded, pinking again. "Yamato-san told me how. It's...not that good, really, but..."

"No, it is.." he reassured her, pulling her close. "You look great. Can you wear it for me again?" Murrue giggled. "Oh? When?"

"I'll let you know.." he whispered, kissing her lightly.

The pair of them walked through the stalls together, hand-in-hand. They spent hours looking at all the colourfully-laid out stalls, pointing out different things. Murrue even tried her hand at goldfish catching, pale face lighting up in happiness as she caught one of the shiny fish. Proudly looking at her prize swimming around in the plastic bag, she glanced up at Mwu. "I'll put him in the pond when we get home.." she said softly, taking Mwu's hand again.

They wandered around the festival until it ended with a beautiful firework display. As the couple watched the brilliant explosions in the night sky, Murrue looked up at her companion. "Thank you.."

"For what?" he mumbled, halfway through a toffee apple. "For coming here with you? Why wouldn't I have?"

She giggled, resting her head on his shoulder. "Not just for that. For everything.." she clarified, reaching up to kiss his cheek.

"You're welcome. It was great that we could spend time together like this. And next time, I get to ask _you_ out.." replied Mwu, pulling her close.

"Oh?" she asked with a small smile. "And when will that be?"

He grinned. "How about next week?"

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( I have no excuse for this, save that I've always wanted to go to a Japanese festival. :sighs: Oh well.

Please read and review! )


	117. Sunlight

It was quiet.

Not a sound could be heard as she tip-toed along the soft cream carpet of the hallway, bare feet making almost no noise. She rounded the corner to push open the white-painted wooden door at the end of the small corridor, carefully, so the hinges wouldn't squeak.

The room beyond this door was small, but warm and cosy. It was done out in pale pink, the colour added maybe three afternoons ago by a proud father. The walls were still covered by the painted nursery and fairy-tale characters painted by the last family to own this house..it seemed as though this room had always been a nursery.

A tiny chink of afternoon sunlight shone through a gap in the curtains, falling across one of the many plushies that lined the dresser. She couldn't help but smile at that. Her friends had been so pleased for them..for this child, and everyone had brought gifts. But they had almost always been plush toys. Teddy bears, rabbits, even a cat.

_I guess...we should have imagined that it would be like that._

The easy chair stood in the corner, beside the wooden crib. Moving across to it, idly picking up toys from where they had fallen, she sat down in the chair, looking down into the cradle. The occupant was fast asleep, tiny hands curling and uncurling in their little mittens. Her face was peaceful, downy cap of auburn hair all rumpled. She was so small..barely more than a foot long, that her mother was sometimes afraid that she would break if she wasn't careful. They had brought her home two days ago from the hospital, doting parents installing their baby in the newly-finished nursery. The little girl had taken one look around her with those crystal-blue eyes, then promply fallen asleep, as though she knew she were home. Slowly, gently, her mother reached out to caress the tiny face with a finger, smiling at the soft feel of the child's skin. Emotions swirled within her, feelings she was only just becoming used to. Pride mixed with disbelief, overwhelming love and happiness. Her child. Her daughter..something she'd once thought impossible. But of course, with a husband like hers, the impossible somehow always became possible, didn't it?

Perhaps feeling the gentle pressure on her face, the baby stirred a little, making a tiny noise in her sleep. The woman giggled quietly, and bent from her seat to pick up the child, gently wrapping a fold of the pink blanket further around the little form. Her daughter never stirred, face twitching with whatever dreams a four-day old baby could have. From her chair, the woman could see the large garden of her house. There were many more flowers now than when they had moved in, and if she squinted into the canopy of trees, she could see the treehouse, and the garden swing.

"This old house must not recognise itself, huh?" she whispered, brushing a lock of hair from her eyes. "So many changes.."

The sunlight through the windows made the room warm, and the chair she sat in was soft and comfortable...and she couldn't help yawning. She was tired. Even though she habitually denied it to others, she couldn't lie to herself. Her baby's birth had exhausted her, and the nights of broken sleep, woken in the middle of the night by the child's crying...it all added up.

The baby still sleeping in her arms, she leaned her head against the back of the easy chair, and fell asleep herself.

A few hours later, someone peeked around the open door..and smiled. _Sleeping again..._

Murrue slept so often now, ever since Stellar had been born. She could fall asleep anywhere, on the sofa, on the bed, and even in patches of sunlight, rather like a cat. Her pale face was peaceful, a small smile curving her lips. Quietly, Mwu tiptoed over to where his wife sat, and carefully lifted the still-sleeping baby from her arms. After cuddling the tiny child close, he laid her back down in the crib, planting a soft kiss on her cheek and tucking the blanket back around her.

Kneeling down beside the chair, he gently brushed a lock of auburn hair from Murrue's face, causing her to stir.

"Hmmm?" she murmured, then smiled drowsily when she saw who had woken her. "Hi.." Mwu smiled back. "Hi. Sleep well?"

She frowned a little, then laughed. "Sorry. It was just so warm in here, and I..."

Leaning forward, he kissed the tip of her nose. "That's okay, princess. But it's dinnertime now. Want something to eat?"

At her soft nod, he smiled again, taking his wife's hand and helping her to her feet, the two of them leaving their daughter to sleep in peace.

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( XD FLUFF!

Please read and review! )


	118. Selfish

( Heh, yesterday's story was a fluff overdose, ne? Today's is hopefully a little more serious. The picture in this is the one it shows on the third end sequence of Seed Destiny, which cracks me up every time I see it lol. Hope you like it! )

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"C'mon, just one picture?"

Holding the camera aloft, Miriallia frowned. "Please?"

The Captain sighed, shoulders slumping. "But why?"

The young girl looked down, sadness creeping over her features. "It's just that...everyone's leaving. First there was Kira, and...Tolle...now it's Lieutenant Badgiruel and Commander La Fllaga. I just..wanted to get a picture of everyone together, that's all...before everyone's split up."

"That sounds like a great idea," remarked the Commander from the pilot seat next to Neumann. "Who do you want on this photo?"

Miriallia smiled. "Just the bridge crew.." She looked to the Captain. "Please? Just one picture?"

So that was how they ended up. The Commander in the middle, with the Captain and Lieutenant Badgiruel on either side. Natarle was grumbling, standing stiff as a board off to the side. The Captain was a little more relaxed, but the effect was still stilted and formal. Mwu peered around, and sighed. "This is no good. You two are like statues!" Placing one hand on each of the two women's shoulders, he pulled them towards him. The sudden gesture caused the women to gasp in surprise, Natarle losing her hat as she was pulled closer to the laughing Commander.

Miriallia, giggling at the scene, snapped the photograph.

When the picture had been developed (with clandestine use of the chemicals in the lab near the sickbay), Mwu knocked on the door to the Captain's office. When her soft voice called out that he could come in, he entered, hiding the object he carried in his jacket pocket.

"Yes, Commander? What can I do for you?" asked the Captain, not looking up from her work. Mwu studied her for a moment. She looked the same as she always did, dark hair shiny, uniform neat...just as beautiful as always. But her amber eyes were slightly red-rimmed, as though she hadn't got much sleep the night before..or she'd been crying.

"Are you okay?" he asked softly, even though he knew what her answer would be.

"Yes, I'm fine." she replied shortly, still not looking up. With an overstated sigh, Mwu reached into his pocket, placing the object he carried on her desk. That startled her.

"What's this?" she asked, picking up the picture. He'd made a frame for it out of what he could find, hoping it would be enough. "It's the photo that girl took. It's a keepsake.."

The Captain frowned. "Wasn't Haww-_nitohei_ the one who wanted this picture taking? Why do you have it?"

Mwu grinned sheepishly. "Yeah, well...I asked her if she wouldn't mind making a copy of it..as a gift. Because I wanted you to have it...so you wouldn't forget us."

_So..you wouldn't forget **me**..._

The Captain nodded, still holding the picture. "I..I see. Well, thank you, Commander.." She was a little pink as she said that, which made him smile. "Well.." he said, standing up. "It's late, and I have an early start tomorrow. I'd better get some sleep. Goodnight, Captain.."

As the door closed behind him, Murrue gazed at the photograph she held. Slowly, her fingers traced across the image until her vision became blurry. Frowning, she shook her head, not noticing the single tear that rolled down her cheek to land on the desk.

The next morning, Mwu stood there in front of his captain, saluting her. He knew that he looked far more serious than everyone was used to, but he couldn't help it. The Captain stared at him for a moment, tears swimming in her eyes. She looked so sad it made his heart hurt. Was she as upset as he was..and for the same reasons?

_Is it because now the kid's gone too, the ship's undefended? It's selfish of me..to hope that she's sad because I'm leaving. To hope that she'll miss me. But I can't help it. Because I love her._

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**A few weeks later...**

He was in her office again, leaning against the metal surface. He didn't have any real reason to be there, other than the fact that he wanted to be. Murrue was working, but she didn't seem to mind him being there. Noticing something on her desk, Mwu reached out and picked it up, a grin on his face. It was the photograph he'd given her the night before his transfer.

"You still have this?" he asked, amusement in his voice. "Of course I do. Why wouldn't I?" she replied mildly. Looking up at him, she smiled, taking the picture. The frame was covered with fingerprints, testament to the number of times she had picked it up to look at it.

"Well, I just.." said Mwu, laughing. "It's not a very good picture, is it?"

"No, it is.." murmured Murrue quietly, wiping the dust from the frame. She smiled again. "Because when you were transferred...I thought that I would never see you again. I thought that this picture..was all I had left."

Mwu grinned, the expression sly. "Oh? You'd have missed me that much?" She looked away at that, a small frown appearing. Mwu's grin faded as he remembered her tears when he left. _If I had left..I'd have missed her terribly, I know that._

"I'm sorry.." he said awkwardly, reaching out to caress her dark hair. Murrue sighed, looking up at him once more. Her amber eyes were full of an unreadable emotion..whether it was pain, or love, he couldn't tell.

"I didn't realise.." she said, her hands twisting together, "until they gave the transfer orders...how I felt. So when you gave me that picture, I was happy. Because it meant that in some way..I could keep you with me.." She blushed at that, clearly embarrassed.

Mwu laughed, feeling embarrassed himself. "Actually..that's why I gave you the photo. Because I didn't want you to forget me. Selfish of me, huh?"

Murrue giggled, cheeks still pink. "Well then, I was selfish too.." she said softly. "Because I'd never let anyone else look at this. It was all I had of you, and I wanted it all to myself..."

Absurdly happy at that confession, Mwu took her small hand in his, squeezing it. "So we're both selfish, huh?" She nodded, and stood up slightly to kiss him, arms curling around his neck.

"But maybe.." she whispered when they broke apart, "that could be a good thing..."

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( :sigh: I went for 'more serious' this time, but it still ended in fluff. Dammit!

Please read and review anyway! )


	119. Key

_I'm keeping a diary. It seems strange, surrounded by computers, to be using such an old-fashioned way of writing down my thoughts. But it actually helps. Now that things..aren't so clear anymore, perhaps I'm doing this...writing with pen and paper - to prove that I exist. It's odd how in just a few weeks, my life was turned upside down, and now I'm not even sure who I am anymore._

_I'm looking for something, or at least, it feels like I am. But I don't know what it is. That's partly why I asked to stay here. I'm still surprised that they let me, and even more so that they seem to trust me so much. I have duties aboard this ship, and a place to stay..and been made to feel welcome here._

_I still feel weird, like I'm adrift or something, and this place is strange. Compared to what I was used to before, everyone here is so relaxed, despite them having taken the most difficult option open to them. But it's like they're all used to it. And...the more I think about it, the less strange this all feels. Instead, it feels ordinary, comfortable. Even familiar, like it's home, and like that's the way I should be fighting. I don't understand why I feel this way, but for some reason..I like it._

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_It's been a few weeks now since I became part of this crew, and I've gradually got more used to life here. People have mentioned that my personality has changed...that I'm friendlier now, more cheerful. I'm glad people have noticed that. It's strange. Before, I never cared whether people liked me or not as long as they followed orders...but here, it seems much more important._

_I'm not so sure that my personality has changed, rather than I'm able to express it now. I don't have to hide my emotions anymore._

_Of course, I still hide some things...like the things I did with the Alliance. Everyone here seems so innocent - they'd be horrified if they knew. But then again, everyone has something to hide, right? A lot of people hide their feelings...especially her._

_She's the strangest thing about this strange place...full of so many contradictions. She's the strongest person I've ever met, yet she seems so weak. She's more than capable of looking after herself, but at the same time, I've never met anyone who needs taking care of more. Needing affection, but at the same time, afraid of it._

_I stay by her side as much as possible, because I know she needs company. Sometimes she seems happy to have me around, and sometimes my presence makes her sad. But I'll still stay with her, be her companion. Because I love her._

_I don't remember ever feeling like this before...being in love with someone. But it makes me happy to be around her. And I feel jealous when people tell me how close she and this Mwu used to be. But that just makes me all the more determined to cure her loneliness._

_This place has changed me...for the better, I'm sure. Before, it was my prison, but now it's most definitely my home._

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_I got to take a bath with her today. I was surprised she didn't refuse, and even more surprised that she actually seemed okay with it. I wanted to help her. Help her relax, feel better. Sometimes..she looks so small, as if the weight of the world was on her shoulders. I wanted to help lift that. Part of it was for her benefit, and part of it was for my own. A selfish desire of mine..to see her like that._

_Sometimes I dream of her...but I'm never sure whether those dreams are made of memories, or just wishes._

_It's still strange. Here I am writing this, trying to make sense of all the changes in my life, and all I do is write about one person. Like a kid with a crush. But she's like no-one I've ever met, and I can't help thinking about her._

_And I have a feeling that the more I know about her, the more I'll learn about myself. The answers are here, I know it._

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_I found them. The answers. They **were** here, on this ship, just like I thought. With my memories came the answers, and also my happiness. But at the same time, came guilt. How could I have done something like this to her? Cause her so much pain and sadness?_

_But she told me..that she doesn't blame me, that she isn't angry. She's just happy that I'm back..to the way I was. And she still loves me. To her, nothing else matters. She missed me..far more than I thought, and far more than I deserve. And she even waited for me._

_Now that I think about it, she was the first person I remembered, all that time ago when I rejoined this crew in Orb. Even before I knew that I was meant to be someone else. She was the reason I stayed here, even though I didn't remember her._

_Was she the key to my memories? To myself?_

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( Was that too weird? I wanted to make it from Neo-san's point of view, but I'm not sure it turned out right.

Please read and review, and let me know! )


	120. Ordinary

It was finally the end of the war.

Now, at last, it finally _felt_ as though it was all over, not just quietened down like last time. Even though peace had been declared after Jachin Due, no-one had ever felt as though that would last. But now..the feelings were different. Not the uneasy relief of two years ago, but genuine happiness, the lifting of burdens from shoulders like the release of actual physical pressure.

The main bridge crew from _Eternal_ had shuttled over to _Archangel_ for a 'de-briefing' before the Orb fleet reached PLANT to begin real ceasefire negotiations, but really, it was more of a celebration. They mingled on the bridge of the Orb ship, chatting and laughing, wondering what would happen next. But two people did not join in with this small talk. They stood together at the back of the bridge, making polite conversation with everyone, but really more interested in each other. Without anyone noticing, his hand had found hers, and they stood there together, with everyone else, but not really there.

"Mwu-san?" came a voice, and the man standing there looked up in surprise, as though he had forgotten where he was. Smiling, the man waved. "Hey, kid!"

Kira blinked at the casual greeting, then his face lit up in a huge smile. "So it's true then? You really do remember?"

The man's smile became a grin. "Sure do. Listen..thanks for what you did. For bringing me back here - for giving me another chance. I owe you one.."

Kira beamed, but shook his head. "No, Mwu-san. You don't owe me anything. What I did...was repay the debt I owed you and Murrue-san, for helping me out so much." With another smile, the boy left, wandering back down to join his friends.

Mwu looked surprised again, not quite knowing how to respond to that, and Murrue smiled, squeezing his hand gently.

The topic of conversation gradually turned to the previous battle, everyone focused on discovering exactly what happened to everyone. When the people on the bridge were absorbed with their talks, the couple at the back finally got what they had been waiting for.

The opportunity to escape.

Slipping into the elevator, the pair burst into laughter. "It feels like we're playing truant or something.." admitted Murrue with a smile. "Do you think anyone will notice we've gone?"

As the elevator reached the next floor, and they floated out into the corridor, Mwu shrugged. "Let them. I haven't seen you for two years.." Picking her up suddenly, he swung her round, grinning at her laughter. When he brought her back to the ground, she wrapped her thin arms around him in a hug. "I missed you so much, you know..." she whispered, leaning her head on his shoulder.

"I know...and I'm sorry.." he replied, not sure how to apologise to her.

"But you came back, just like you promised. Thank you, Mwu.."

He smiled at that, one hand caressing her dark hair. "You know..it still sounds strange to be called that again after all this time, but I'm sure I could get used to it.."

The pair stayed there like that for a while, holding each other, still in disbelief that after all that had happened to them, they were really together again, and this time, they didn't have to worry about being separated by war. Murrue closed her eyes, smiling as she listened to her companion's heartbeat. She didn't have to say anything, as she was sure Mwu already knew all the things she wanted to tell him.

Mwu himself leaned down to breathe in the scent from her hair, his own eyes closing as the familiarity of it all washed over him.

"So.." he said finally, "when do we get to go home?" He felt her shoulders shake in a giggle, and she looked up at him with those amber eyes. "When everything is really over. Then we can all go back to Orb..back home."

"And what happens when we get there?" he wanted to know, a smirk playing on his lips. Murrue smiled. "I don't know. Whatever we want, I suppose." she said softly.

"Whatever _we_ want..that sounds nice. Well..we could give 'being together' a shot, how about that? Does that sound okay?"

She nodded at that, cheeks pink. "Now that we don't have to worry about the war, there really isn't anything that we couldn't do. I never really thought about that..."

"Well," Mwu pointed out, "there was no reason to before. But now..now we can be an ordinary couple. That's all I ever wanted since you and I got together before.."

"Can we ever be just an 'ordinary' couple?" she asked with a small frown. "After everything that's happened?"

He grinned, pulling her close again. "I think that we can. And it sounds perfect to me."

Murrue shook her head with a light laugh. "With the end of this war..there are so many possibilities, we could do anything that we wanted to do...and all you want is to just settle down and be normal?"

Mwu reached down to tilt up her chin so she was looking right into his eyes. "But isn't that what _you_ want as well? Just to be who you are, and be happy?"

She smiled at that. "That's all I _ever_ wanted. I was just wondering about you. You're a pilot, a hero. Would being just an ordinary person really make you happy?"

"You know? Actually, it would." he replied, hugging her tightly. "If I could be with you.."

Murrue giggled again, the soft sound making him smile fondly. "Then why don't we try that? When we get home, we'll be just an ordinary couple. Nothing special, just two people together. Sound all right?"

Mwu nodded, leaning down to plant a light kiss on her lips. "It sounds great..."

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( You know, I'm convinced that that would be all they wanted. Just the chance to live together as a normal couple would, and see if they can be happy. Don't you think?

Please read and review! )


	121. Stars

The night was hot and humid, warmth hanging heavy in the air, seeming to drain all energy from people. The monsoon season had almost reached Orb, but frustratingly, the weather hadn't begun to turn yet, staying obstinately hot and sunny.

Knowing what time it was, Murrue sighed, staring up at the white-painted ceiling of her bedroom. The fan swished overhead, seeming to little but rearrange the warm air. She'd checked the clock a dozen times, hoping that she may have fallen asleep without realising. But the numerals always disappointed her.

_It's too hot..._

Her nightdress clung to her body, the thin sheets not making it any cooler. Kicking aside the tangled covers in frustration, she climbed off the bed and tiptoed downstairs. Almost every window in the house was open, but, like the fan, it didn't help. Making her way to the kitchen, the auburn-haired woman fixed herself a glass of cold juice, and stared out of the window at the cloudless night sky.

"Couldn't you sleep either?"

She spun around, startled. "Oh..I'm sorry. I didn't wake you, did I?" Mwu shook his head. "No...it's too hot, I wasn't asleep." He grinned sheepishly. "I'm not used to living in a place as warm as this yet.." Murrue smiled, sipping her juice. "Well, even people who have lived here all their lives still have problems when it's as hot as this.."

Looking down, she noticed that he was wearing the shorts from earlier. "How come you got dressed?"

"Because I figured that if I went for a walk or something, it might help me sleep. What do you think?" he asked, crossing the kitchen to where she stood, and wrapping his arms around her waist. "Does a walk on the beach sound nice?" he whispered in her ear, and Murrue nodded, leaning back into his embrace despite the oppressive heat of the night.

The beach was quiet, peaceful. The moon shone down on the sand, turning it silver beneath the couple's feet. The only noise to be heard save the distant rumble of light traffic was the surf crashing upon the beach. Murrue sighed, closing her eyes with a small smile. This had been the right idea..she was already feeling more relaxed. The slight ocean breeze stirred the lacy hem of her nightdress, and the sand was cool on her bare feet. Reaching up on her tiptoes, she kissed her companion softly on the cheek, squeezing his hand.

"Thank you.."

Mwu grinned, leaned forward...and snatched the pink flip-flops she carried in her other hand. Letting go of her hand, he raced off across the sand, his laughter ringing out across the empty beach. "Hey!" she shouted in amused indignation, beginning to run after him. Of course, this activity didn't help make the night any cooler...but it was fun. Mwu had seen her frustration and tiredness, and decided to help lighten her mood, the way only he could.

She chased him across the white sand, their laughter blending together. Murrue knew that she'd never be able to catch him, but she wasn't about to give up so easily. Lifting up the hem of her nightdress, she increased her pace, dark hair flying behind her.

That is, until she tripped.

Slipping on the fine sand, she landed heavily on her knees. Mwu must have noticed, because he came running back to crouch beside her. "Are you okay?" he asked, concern in his voice and deep blue eyes. Embarrassed, she sat up, rubbing a sore knee, trying hard not to laugh again.

"Oh, I see.." he said with a knowing grin. "You got clumsy and tripped, huh?"

"I am _not_ clumsy!" she shouted, pushing him away. Crouching down like that, he easily lost his balance, toppling backwards onto the sand. But not before he grabbed her free hand and pulled her down with him.

The two of them lay there together on the wide beach, she still shaking with suppressed laughter, face nestled into his chest. Until Mwu looked up, blue eyes trained on the night sky.

"Hey now.." he murmured, deep voice filled with admiration, "look at that.."

Turning her head to gaze in the same direction, Murrue gasped, amber eyes wide in amazement. "It's so beautiful!"

The night sky, still so clear, was peppered with billions of stars. The tiny lights shone down upon the world, forming their own constellations, slowly moving in an eternal dance. And across the middle streaked the pale line of the Milky Way. The couple watching this display smiled, looking up at the stars which were so familiar, and at the same time, so mysterious.

"Just think.." he said softly, one hand caressing her dark hair. "If we'd been able to sleep, we'd have missed this.."

"It's funny.." she replied as though she hadn't heard, "they seem so much friendlier from down here. They twinkle. Up there..they seem cold, like a reminder of how far away from home you are..."

"Do you miss it? Being up there?" he asked, and she smiled. "A little. Not the soldier part, but I did love being in space." Then she looked up at him, thin fingers reaching up to stroke his face. "After all, I met you there.."

Mwu laughed at that, pulling her a little closer. "That's true. Guess there's something to be grateful for, huh? If it hadn't been for the war, we'd never even have met.."

"Not the war." she said firmly. "Up there. The stars. We were both there..that's how we met."

He nodded, understanding what she was trying to say.

The couple lay there together for what felt like forever, watching the cosmic dance play out upon the black velvet sky. After a while, Mwu looked down at his girlfriend, still curled in his arms. Her dark eyes were closed, and she was breathing softly, a smile gracing her lips.

"You're able to sleep now, huh?" he whispered, carefully sitting up to cradle the sleeping woman in his arms. She still weighed next to nothing, and, as he held her close to himself, carrying her back to the waiting car, Murrue murmured in her sleep, nuzzling closer to him.

The heat still hadn't lifted when they reached home, but she didn't wake up. Bringing the bedcovers down from upstairs, Mwu spread them out across the sitting room floor, and laid Murrue on them before settling down there himself. Here, it was much cooler, and he smiled as he reached out to bring his lover closer.

"Next time we can't sleep.." he whispered as he placed a kiss on her forehead, "let's try that again.."

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( Just some more of my trademark random babbling. But I thought that it might be cute.

Please read and review! )


	122. Overwork

( This story is based off a doujinshi I have (yes, there are MXM doujins, and I have rather a lot :sighs:) called 'I'm here saying nothing'. It isn't a lemon, so don't worry about that. And I didn't copy everything about it, either. For a start, I can read only a tiny amount of written Japanese, so I had to sort of make the dialogue up...

Needless to say, however, I don't own the story. Or Gundam Seed, or anything except an overactive imagination...)

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_Where is she?_

Her office was neat as always, chair standing behind the desk, the desk itself covered with ordered piles of finished reports. But there were signs that something was wrong. He knew that she should be on shift right now, and if she wasn't on the bridge, then she should be here, in her office. Her work took up much of her time, and he knew that his presence often annoyed her. But he couldn't help being drawn to her regardless. And he also couldn't help worrying about her. She'd been here last night, finishing up the reports that still sat so neatly on the desk. She'd finished the cup of coffee he'd made for her - the cup still sat on the side table.

But she was nowhere to be seen.

Sighing, running a hand through thick blonde hair, Mwu turned to leave, disappointed. As he did, his foot caught against something lying on the floor. A small metal object..a piece of jewellery. The Captain's locket.

He'd seen her holding it a couple of times, always with the same sad, wistful expression. And he knew that she would never go anywhere without it. So..what was it doing here, discarded on the ground? Bending down to pick it up, Mwu was startled by a crewmember rushing in through the door. "Oh, Commander..the doctor was looking for you. The Captain...she's sick."

Mwu's blue eyes widened just a fraction as he stood up, squeezing the small locket tightly in his hand.

There she lay, in the small sickbay bed, her jacket collar undone, rosy flush to pale cheeks. She seemed peaceful enough, breathing deeply...like nothing was wrong.

"The captain's overworked herself, given herself a slight fever. Lieutenant Badgiruel's in command of the ship at the moment. We asked you here just so you could stay with her..keep an eye on her while we run some tests. Would that be all right?" asked the doctor, checking the chart he held.

"Sure..but why me? Why not a nurse?" Mwu asked, confused. Not that he minded staying here with her, but it didn't make much sense. The doctor sighed, rolling his eyes. "Because if she woke up, the captain would just leave. We hoped that if you were here, it might make her think twice.."

_So I'm a babysitter now?_

After the doctor had left, Mwu pulled up a chair to sit beside the sleeping captain. She certainly did look peaceful..a nice change when her usual expression was one of worry or fatigue. Her sleep had ironed out the traces of constant stress, and she looked almost angelic, wavy dark hair framing her face.

"You _always_ do this to yourself.." he muttered quietly. "Work yourself into the ground, without noticing how worried everyone is.."

Leaning back in the chair, he watched her as she slept. His hands rested in his pockets out of habit, and he frowned as he came across something sharp hidden at the bottom of one.

_Oh, that's right. I still have her locket..._

Checking around to make sure the doctor wasn't on his way back, he pulled the jewellery from his pocket and leaned down over the captain, taking a deep breath. Unfastening the catch, he moved to carefully place the locket around her neck.

Or he would have done, that is.

Just as he was at his closest, face only inches from hers..the captain stirred.

Amber eyes fluttering open, Murrue awoke, looking around her in confusion. Where was she?

Finally glancing up, she gasped as she saw Commander La Fllaga's face..rather too closely. Eyes widening, she took a deep breath to scream - but he placed a hand over her mouth.

"Hey, it's okay! Just..don't scream. If someone comes in and sees this..."

She nodded, understanding, and he let her go. Managing to sit up, Murrue stared at her lap, sure her cheeks must be burning. "W-what were you..I mean..." she asked, hating how she was stuttering.

"Nothing! I mean..nothing bad!" he said hastily, holding something out. "It's just that..you dropped your locket. I wanted to give it back, that's all.."

That made Murrue smile. "I see. Thank you. Sorry for.." The Commander waved a hand. "Don't worry about it. It's my fault for scaring you like that. Are you feeling any better?"

She nodded again, and made as if to climb out of bed, but he shook his head, replacing the covers. "None of that. You have to stay here so they can keep an eye on you."

_But I can't! I'm the captain, I have to..._ Her thoughts must have somehow registered on her face, either that, or the Commander could imagine what she was thinking. "It's all right. Lt. Badgiruel's taking care of things. The ship won't break down if the captain takes a break, you know.."

Sighing, Murrue leaned back against the wall. "And why are you here?"

"The doc asked me to keep an eye on you, make sure you didn't run off. Turns out it's a good thing he did."

Shoulders slumping slightly in disappointment, she stared at her lap again. "Oh...that was the only reason?" she murmured, so quietly she doubted he would hear her.

"Well, yeah.." he answered, making her jump a little in surprise. "That and the fact that I was worried when I couldn't find you..."

That made Murrue smile, the expression just curving the corners of her lips. "Thank you. I'm sorry for being scared before..I thought you were going to..to.." Her cheeks pinked again, and she peeked up at him.

The Commander waved his hands. "I wouldn't do that to you! Not while you were sleeping, anyway..."

She frowned, folding her arms, which caused the man to look stricken. "I meant..I wouldn't have done it anyway!"

_No...you wouldn't, would you..._

She huffed slightly, and laid back down in the bed again after fastening the locket back around her neck. "All right, as long as that was all it was. Thank you for staying here with me."

"Not a problem." he said cheerfully, straightening out the covers. "As long as you're okay. And promise to take it easy for a while. Don't worry about the ship. Me and the kid can take care of things."

Murrue smiled. "I'll hold you to that, Commander.."

Smiling back, the man stood up to leave. "Goodnight, Captain."

After bidding him goodnight in return, she watched him leave, dark eyes troubled. Lying back in the bed, one arm over her face, she sighed again, wondering why it was she felt sad.

Mwu leaned against the wall outside sickbay, eyes closed. He really hadn't intended to try anything, but once she had mentioned it...

_Why do I wish I **had **kissed her?_

Murrue pressed her arm against her face, not noticing the single tear that ran down her cheek to soak into the pillow.

_Why do I wish he **had **kissed me?_

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( That, give or take an interpretation or two, is roughly the story in that doujin. It's very good, by the way. And I wrote two stories in one day. Does that make me sad?

Please read and review anyway! )


	123. Little Brother

It was quiet. His footsteps seemed to echo forever down the stark-white painted corridor, the only sounds beside his walking the soft footfalls of nurses, and the occasional cry of a baby. The place smelt of floor cleaner, disinfectant, and stale food.

_I hate hospitals..._

Rounding a corner, he smiled as he found the room he was looking for. It ws very small, the only furniture to be seen a white bed, a table, and a chair. The pinkish-orange light of dusk shone in through the window, falling across the figure sleeping in the bed. He sighed a little as he sat down on the chair beside her, arranging the fresh flowers he had brought in the vase on the table.

_She's been sleeping so much.._he thought, brushing aside a lock of auburn hair from the sleeper's very pale face. _All this..it took so much out of her, all she's done is sleep. The doctors say it's normal, that she just needs time to recover, but I can't help being worried..._

Pushing aside his own unruly blonde hair, Mwu peeked to the left..into the tiny hospital cot that sat by the bed. Swaddled in blue blankets, the occupant met his gaze, those amber eyes so like his mother's staring up at him. Mwu grinned, leaning down to pick up the baby boy. "Hey there, Alex.." he whispered, cradling his son close. The tiny infant yawned, waving his hands slightly. Mwu gazed at the child for a while, noting how tiny he was. He knew that this pregnancy had been really hard on Murrue, much more so than it had been with Stellar and Lily. And she had given birth all by herself...

_But she'll be fine in a few days..then she can come home._

All of a sudden, he felt a light tickling at the back of his neck..someone stroking his hair. Smiling, he turned around to see that Murrue was awake now, propped up slightly against the soft pillows. Her dark eyes were sleepy, but her face wore a happy smile. "Hi.." she whispered, reaching out. Mwu leaned forward to kiss her gently. "Hi, beautiful. Feel better?" Her smile grew, and she managed a nod. "Yes. I'm still a little tired, but.." Her tone became hopeful. "Did you come to take me home?"

He sighed, one hand stroking her dark hair. "Not just yet. The doctors say it'll be a few more days." He tried not to notice her face fall in disappointment, and slipped an arm behind her back to help her sit up a bit more.

Murrue reached out to take her baby into her arms to feed him, thin fingers stroking the child's face. "But I want him to meet his sisters properly..do they wonder why I'm not there?"

"Stellar knows why, but Lily doesn't really get it." replied her husband. "She's always asking when Mama's coming home.."

She sighed, leaning back against the pillows. "I hate this..feeling so tired." Mwu reached out to squeeze her hand, gesturing to the baby boy now fast asleep in her arms. "But look what we have because of that.." he pointed out, making her smile.

"Yes. He's perfect, isn't he? I'm so glad that we were able to have a son.." she murmured, lifting up the sleeping infant to press a kiss to dark copper hair.

Mwu laughed quietly. "So..three, huh? Think that'll do?"

Murrue smiled, and nodded. "Yes. I think three are enough. Now we have two daughters and a son..and I'm happy with that." Her amber eyes shone as she imagined the possibilities and the future she and her little family could all share.

Mwu grinned as he watched her, trying to guess what she was thinking. Truth be told, he was relieved she didn't want any more. He had wanted a big family, but after seeing how exhausted and ill Murrue had become after Alex was born..it hadn't been worth it to him. Not if it meant something happening to her.

_Part of this problem is all because we waited so long after Stellar was born before giving her a sibling..we wanted to wait till she was old enough to accept a little brother or sister. And then after Lily..we decided we wanted to try for a son..and now we have him. I just wonder whether waiting so long was such a good idea.._

Gently taking Alex from his mother's arms, he placed the child back in the cot. "Now, you have to get more rest.." he instructed his wife, inwardly smiling as she pouted childishly. Leaning forward on the chair, he wrapped her up in a warm hug. Murrue returned the embrace instantly, hugging him as tightly as she was able to. "You'll come back soon, won't you?" she asked softly.

"Of course I will." he replied. "And if you rest up properly, next time, maybe we can all go home.."

Her pretty face lit up at that. "I hope so.." She kissed him lightly. "I love you.."

"Love you too, sweetheart. I'll be back soon, I promise.."

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"Is Mama home yet?" Lily's little face wore a hopeful smile, blonde curls bobbing as she hopped up and down in excitement. Kneeling down, Mwu placed a hand on the little girl's head. "Not yet, sweetie. Mama has to stay in hospital for a little while yet.."

His youngest daughter's face fell, and her lips began to tremble. "I want Mama.." she sobbed. Mwu's own scarred face fell, and he lifted Lily into his arms. "I know you do. We all want Mama to come home. But you want her to be all better before she does, right?"

Stellar nodded, ruffling her sister's hair. "Papa's right. Mama'll come home soon, and when she does, she'll bring baby brother with her. But she can't come home till she gets well, can she?"

Mwu smiled softly at his oldest child, realising just how much like her mother the nine-year-old girl was.

Lily sniffled once, then nodded. "Okay..."

"Right," he said, placing the three-year-old back on the ground, and taking the hands of both her and her sister. "Let's go home and get something to eat. And tomorrow is the weekend. So how about we make Mama a cake to welcome her home?"

The two girls beamed, eagerly beginning to chatter about the kind of cake they should make, the happy talking and laughter lasting well until they reached home.

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A few days later, the two little girls walked home from school, Stellar's hand protectively holding that of her sister's. As they opened the garden gate, they could see that the kitchen door was open, and that someone was sitting at the table. Someone very familiar.

Lily noticed first. "Mama!" she squealed, letting go of Stellar's hand and hurtling through the open door.

Murrue smiled happily, standing up off the chair and kneeling down to welcome the tiny girl into her embrace. Lily hugged her tightly, wrapping her arms around her mother's shoulders. "I missed you, Mama!"

"And I missed you too.." whispered Murrue, looking up to where her oldest waited in the kitchen doorway. Standing up with an effort, Lily still clinging to her, she held out her free arm, smiling as Stellar raced across to hug her too.

The cake they had so carefully made, with the help (if you could call it that) of their father, sat on the kitchen counter, a flat, lopsided affair made of chocolate, the frosting uneven. But to her...it was perfect.

Sitting down on the sofa, Lily in her lap, Murrue gestured to the tiny wrapped bundle Mwu held. "Here.." she said quietly, not wanting to wake the baby, "this is your baby brother.."

Stellar's blue eyes widened in surprise as Mwu gently placed the sleeping infant in her arms. "Really?" she whispered, almost afraid to breathe, "I can hold him?"

At her mother's nod, the little girl stared down at the baby. "He's so tiny..." At her words, little Alex awoke for a moment, looking up at his sister. Stellar gasped. "Oh..he has eyes just like yours, Mama!"

"His name is Alexander, Alex for short," said Mwu, sitting down beside the rest of his family. "And since you two are so much older than he is, you have to take care of him, okay?"

Lily nodded, little face serious. Stellar smiled, looking down at her little brother. "We promise, don't we, Lil?"

That night, when their little family were all asleep, Mwu and Murrue stood together at the door to the nursery, watching their new son sleep. Murrue smiled, nestling close to her husband, who laughed quietly, nuzzling her cheek. "Not bad, huh?" he asked, the pride in his voice unmistakeable.

"Not bad at all.." she replied, resting her head against his shoulder. "I would have wanted more, but.."

Mwu grinned, pulling her into a hug. "Three's just fine. And they're all perfect kids, too.."

"Perfect as they can be with _you_ for a father?" she teased, giggling at his shocked expression. "But I know what you mean.."

He kissed the top of her head, breathing in her scent. "We never did get to fill all these extra rooms, huh? But I guess it means that they can have friends over.."

Murrue nodded, grin on her face as a thought occured to her. "Or our grandchildren could stay over...one day.."

Mwu's stricken expression was all the encouragement she needed to laugh, soft giggles muffled as she pressed her face into his chest.

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( Hee hee hee. Now that was fun to write!

Please read and review! )


	124. Umbrella

"Isn't this _great_?"

Meyrin spread her arms out wide to encompass all that she saw, giggling happily. The place they had come to, the new amusement park that had been built, stretched out as far as they could see. The six of them had arrived earlier that morning to try out the new rides, their morning filled with yells and screams of delight as the rollercoasters dipped and swooped overhead. The little group had tried every ride at least once before sitting down to eat lunch at one of the many fast-food outlets dotted about the park.

Now, however, they walked together through the more peaceful areas of the park, a set of landscaped gardens filled with flower beds and statues, the wide expanse of green sloping down to the shores of a vast lake half a mile away. Murrue gazed around her as they walked, amber eyes wide. She had loved the rides, often trying the more dangerous rollercoasters when not even Mwu would. But this..she preferred this, to just walk around these beautiful gardens.

Meyrin smiled again, stretching out. "You know what? I think that there's some rides we didn't try out.." Grabbing Athrun's arm, she pulled the startled young man with her, promising to be back later. Her laughter rang out across the gardens, mixed with Athrun's half-hearted protests.

The four remaining walked together for a while, chatting about nothing much, enjoying the light sunshine and the peace and quiet of the gardens. That is, until Lacus took Kira's hand, smiling up at him. "Kira..wasn't there a little cafe just over that hill? Shall we go and get some tea?" The boy nodded, smiling at Mwu and Murrue. "You two go ahead..we'll be back soon, okay?"

After the young couple had gone, Mwu turned to Murrue, one eyebrow raised. "You know..I think we were set up..."

She smiled, placing her hat back on her head. "I think you're right.." Then she shrugged. "But I don't mind." Taking his hand, she looked up at him. "So, shall we go?"

Together, the couple explored the large gardens, Mwu smiling at his girlfriend's obvious happiness. If they had been set up, he didn't mind one bit. Because even though they lived together..it was nice to spend time alone with her like this, without work or anything else getting in the way.

"Hey, look!" Pointing down the slope that led to the lake, he gestured to the little ice-cream shop that nestled beside the dock. "C'mon, what do you say? My treat?"

Murrue rolled her eyes, but nodded, letting him treat her to a strawberry waffle cone. Mwu himself bought a cone filled with scoops of almost every flavour, scarred face wearing a huge smile as he ate the frozen treat. She watched him as they sat together on a bench, a smile on her own face as he devoured the ice cream.

The lake stretched out ahead of them, elaborate fountains playing out upon the water's surface. As the couple walked together, Murrue noticed a place where it was possible to rent a boat to row on the lake. And that was all the encouragement Mwu needed.

"Do..do you even know how to row one of these?" she asked nervously as she stepped into the rocking craft. Mwu just grinned. "I'll learn. Besides, it looks like fun.."

And he was right. It _was_ fun. His attempts at rowing were rather clumsy, making the little boat rock violently sometimes. But it was nice, the cool breeze blowing across the water taking the heat from the humid air. Waterbirds swam around the edges of the lake, quacking softly.

"This sure is pretty.." Murrue murmured, trailing the fingers of one hand in the water. Mwu nodded absently, but in truth, he was more focused on her. She sat there composedly at the other end of the tiny boat, wearing her favourite red dress. Her dark hair cascading over her shoulders...she was a much better sight than any scenery, no matter how beautiful.

Looking up, her amber eyes narrowed in a teasing smile as she noticed him watching her. Pink-cheeked, she raised her hand and flicked water at him. "Keep your eyes on the road, mister.."

At the far shore, he landed the boat, and extended a hand to help her jump to dry land. The place they had landed was woodland, with not another soul in sight...just how they preferred it. The wood was filled with sounds of rustling leaves and birdsong, and smelled green and pleasant. Murrue sighed, taking Mwu's arm. "This is nice. Do you think that...the others knew we wanted this?"

"I'm sure they did.." he replied with a smile.

"Is this better than all those rides?" she asked with a smirk, causing him to chuckle. "Well, the rides _were_ fun, but this is fun too.."

As they walked, it began to rain. Just a light drizzle at first, but it quickly became torrential, the drops hitting the ground and bouncing several inches back up into the air. Laughing, the pair dived for cover underneath a large oak tree, Murrue fishing around in the little satchel she carried for her umbrella. Flicking open the pale pink object, she held it up over the two of them, blushing slightly.

Mwu grinned. "You're letting me share your umbrella?"

She huffed, blush deepening. "Well, who else would I share it with?" She gestured around them at the deserted woods. "I don't see anyone else here.."

He nuzzled close to her. "Thanks.." The wind had picked up, swirling around the trees, picking up fallen leaves. At a sudden gust, Murrue shivered in the sleeveless dress she wore, instinctively huddling closer to the one beside her. Mwu smiled, and, pulling his arms out of the sleeves of his jacket, wrapped the jacket around both of them, his arms snugly around her slender waist. Murrue smiled at that, leaning back into his embrace while still holding her umbrella over the two of them.

It was still pouring with rain, but now...they didn't care.

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( This...was waffle. But I liked writing it, and it was partly what skywolf666 wanted, ne?

As for them sharing an umbrella, well, I read the other day that while the Western way of showing you love someone is two names enclosed in a heart, the Japanese equivalent is two names under an umbrella. I found that so impossibly cute, I had to write about them sharing an umbrella...

Please read and review! )


	125. Complicated

"You know..I was just wondering.."

Raising one eyebrow, Mwu turned to look down at the one who had spoken. Murrue was lying beside him on the bed, clad in her tanktop and shorts. Between her fingers ran the silver chain of the locket she always wore, the pendant itself dangling in the air, she watching it idly.

When it became apparent she was waiting for a reply, he sighed. "About what?"

"Well..." she said softly, amber eyes still fixed on the locket, "I never questioned it before, but..now I wonder why it is that the two of you - both you and _him_..always watch out for me. Protect me. It feels nice, but it makes me wonder...do people feel like they have to take care of me? Like I can't look after myself?"

Mwu smiled, leaning back against the wall. "That's not the reason. I take care of you because I _want_ to. Not because I feel I have to, or because I think you need it. It's my own choice."

Murrue smiled back a little at that, then her fair face clouded over again. "But why me?" she asked, setting her locket down on the bedside table and looking up at him. "What makes me so special that you want to be with me?"

"Why so insecure all of a sudden?" he asked, blue eyes full of confusion. "That's not like you..." She shook her head, auburn hair spilling over her shoulders.. "That's not it," she replied. "Not insecurity...more like curiosity. Why me? How come I was the one you fell for?"

Mwu blinked at the odd question, mind racing as he struggled to think of an answer. "Well.." he muttered, "you're the most beautiful woman I've ever met, and also the kindest...and, well, you're _you_. I really can't think of a reason as to why I love you..I just do, that's all.."

Murrue frowned a little at the evasive answer. Sitting up so she was beside him, she leaned forward to look into his eyes. "It's just that..you do so much for me, always stay by my side and support me. It makes me happy...very happy, but.." She looked down at her lap, hands twisted together. "What about you? What do you get out of all this?"

He laughed at that. "Well, I get _you_, don't I? I get to be with you..to see you smile, and I don't need anything else. Now tell me," he began with an impish grin, "since you seem so interested in how I feel...what about _you_? Do _you_ love _me_?"

She smiled, cheeks turning rosy. "Yes.." she said shyly. "Very much."

Mwu beamed, slipping an arm around her and pulling her close. "Okay then, why? Why do you love me? What makes me special?"

Murrue opened her mouth to answer...then frowned again. He inwardly chuckled as he watched her try to think of a reason.

"Well...I...I...because..it's..." she stuttered, clearly getting annoyed at her inability to reply. Finally, she gave up, peeking up at him in embarrassment. "I'm not really sure.." she whispered, pink-cheeked again. "I just know...that I love you, and I want to be with you..."

"You see?" he asked, wrapping his arms around her waist. "Not everything can be explained. Why should love have to be complicated?"

She nodded, leaning back against him. "I know what you mean. I guess..I just wanted a reason.." She smiled slightly. "But then again..there isn't always meant to be one.."

"That's right. Stop trying to define everything..and just accept it. You love me, and I love you right back. Simple as that."

Giggling at his simple answer, she reached up to plant a kiss on his cheek.

"Thank you.."

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( I just wondered whether..she might try to explain, or get him to explain..why they feel the way they do about each other. Murrue-san seems to have a tendency to over-analyze things (rather like me) and I can imagine her asking Mwu about his feelings, and why he had then for her.

Please read and review! )


	126. Conversations

_It's so peaceful here...hard to tell that there might be a battle soon..._

She had needed to get away from being captain for a while..wanted to go someplace quiet where she could collect her thoughts, go over everything that had happened in the past few days. Cagalli-san had mentioned this place to her, citing the wonderful view of the ocean from the cliff-top, and it had sounded perfect.

So, here she was, walking along the wooded path that led to this viewing spot, the only sounds to disturb her the sound of the sea hitting the rocks far below, the rustling of the trees, and the call of birds. A far cry from the sounds of battle that usually disturbed and haunted her. The warm sunlight shone down through the trees, the leaves forming a dappled pattern on her bare arms.

And Murrue smiled happily, stretching out. This _was_ perfect...

Climbing up a small slope, she finally reached the place she had been told about...and stopped.

Because _he_ was there.

In the midst of the long grass and wildflowers of the clearing, he sat quite still, looking out to sea. His face was pensive, serious...he looked lost in thought, which was hard to reconcile with the laid-back smile he usually wore. The blue of the sea was reflected in his eyes, and the sunlight shone down on his hair, turning it almost golden. All in all..he looked very handsome. And as she stood there, slightly behind one of the trees, Murrue felt her cheeks growing hot.

_This won't do..acting like a schoolgirl. I'll leave him in peace..come back later._

But as she turned to leave, he called out to her. "It's okay..you don't have to leave. Here, come sit down if you want."

She froze, startled. _How did he know I was here?_

Tilting his head to the side, the Commander - Mwu - looked right at her, and smiled. He patted the grass beside him. "Please?"

Slowly, Murrue edged out from behind the tree, and walked across to where he sat. As she approached, Mwu pulled off his jacket and spread it out on the grass for her to sit upon. Nervously, she sat, although she didn't get too close. Mwu didn't seem to mind though, and he was smiling as he looked back out to sea.

"I..I was wondering..what's wrong?" asked Murrue, not meeting his gaze when he looked at her curiously. "Before..you looked so serious..I..."

His smile became rather rueful. "Actually..I was remembering my home. This view kinda reminds me of it.."

Murrue nodded, inwardly pleased to learn something about him. "So you lived near the sea?"

"Not that close.." he replied with a short laugh. "But on a clear day, I could see it from my window."

"Do you miss it? Your home?" asked Murrue, and was surprised by his laugh. "No, not especially.." he said. "But sometimes I realise that good memories can be mixed in with bad ones." At her curious gaze, he waved a hand. "It's nothing. I'll tell you one day. And what about you? Did you live near the sea?"

"No." she answered with a smile of her own. "Inland. It was a tiny little place where nothing much ever happened. But it sure was peaceful..like it is here."

Mwu sighed, tipping back his head to catch the sun on his face. "It's odd.." he said softly. "After all that's happened between us, we still don't know very much about each other, do we?" He fixed his blue gaze on the woman beside him, and smiled again. "But I'd like to learn - learn about you. Would that be all right?"

Murrue nodded. "Yes. If I can learn about you..if we have chance to.." Her face became downcast, amber eyes focused on her lap.

"Now stop that.." he scolded gently, making her look up in surprise. "I know...this is war, no-one knows what's going to happen. But if you keep thinking like that, when will you find the time to learn about anyone?"

She didn't answer, just looked back out to sea again. Mwu frowned. _This is no good..not what I wanted..._

After a moment, he very slowly placed an arm around her, wrapping it snugly around her waist. Murrue gasped, a rosy flush appearing on her cheeks, very like it had when he had kissed her for the first time...had that really been just a few hours ago?

_It's fun..to see her blush. She looks so darn cute!_

Murrue looked troubled for a few minutes, then sighed, leaning against him to gingerly rest her head on his shoulder. And Mwu grinned, delighted.

"Would it be okay with you..if we were together?" he asked, tilting his own head to the side to rest on hers. "It's not like we have to let anyone else know..if you want it to be our secret, I have no problem with that. But only if it's all right with _you_.."

Murrue didn't know how to answer. She looked down at her lap, noticing that he had taken her hand in his.

_He wants to be with me. But how do I feel? Do I want to be with him?_

Removing her head from his shoulder, she looked up at him. His arms were warm, she noted..they made her feel strangely safe. His smile was so kind and gentle, it made her heart flutter.

_Is this what I want?_

Before, she would have said 'no'. Fleeting happiness in wartime was dangerous..nothing compared to the heartbreak of losing a loved one. If she was with Mwu, gave her heart to him, she'd be making the same mistake again..wouldn't she?

_But would I? Who says that the same thing has to happen again?_

Whatever the risk, she couldn't deny her own feelings. Smiling up at Mwu, she nodded, resting her head on his shoulder again.

"It's all right with me.." she whispered, closing her eyes.

"And would it be okay with you..if I kissed you again?" he asked quietly, rather spoiling the moment. Sitting up straight again, Murrue raised an eyebrow. "Is that what you were really after?"

"Nope." he replied with a grin. "I meant everything I said before."

She sighed. "Well..you didn't ask for permission last time.." Looking up, she noticed a fallen leaf clinging to his blonde hair, and reached up to pick it away, leaning in rather close..close enough to smell his aftershave and soap. Too close.

Blushing again, she pulled away, annoyed at herself. Mwu just smiled. "That's true," he replied. "But you did ask me why I came back..and I gave you your answer."

She giggled in spite of herself. "Yes..I suppose you did." She sighed again, shaking her head in mock exasperation. "Yes..it would be okay with me if you kissed me."

Still with his arm around her waist, he slowly pulled her closer, fingertips tracing her cheek. Murrue knew that she was blushing again, but this time, she didn't really care. Her eyes fluttered closed as he pressed his lips to hers in a very gentle kiss, much sweeter and softer than that first kiss they had shared on the bridge. That kiss had been a surrender of sorts, two people finally giving in to their feelings. This kiss...it was like a promise. A promise that they would be together, to learn about each other, and perhaps find happiness.

Finally breaking for air, Mwu grinned as he saw how pink Murrue's cheeks were, and he brushed a stray strand of auburn hair from her face.

Murrue just rested her head on his shoulder again, snuggling close with a sigh. The warmth of the sun, and the warmth of his arms..they were soothing, comforting. It had been longer than she cared to admit since she'd felt this content. And she hadn't slept properly since Alaska..since their desperate flight to Orb. She hadn't felt tired then, but now..

After a few moments, Mwu grinned. "You're sleepy, huh?" he asked softly, but she barely heard him, instead just murmuring a little. Very carefully, he took her into his arms, and laid her down on his jacket, the one she had been sitting on. Murrue mumbled something again, curling into the fabric with a soft sigh, smile on her beautiful face.

_I know..the battle could take place any time. But she needs this - deserves this..more than anyone else. Sleep..and happiness._

Reaching out, he stroked her dark hair, feeling the silky strands between his fingers, closing his eyes at the light sea breeze.

_I don't remember ever feeling more at peace with myself..or the world, than I do now. Even though the war is still raging..it feels like it can't reach us here. This place, this time..it's just for me and her._

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( Moar fluffy goodness XD. And I know I told big sis that this story would be AU, but I ended up having this impossibly cute idea at work, and well..this is it.

Please read and review! )


	127. Hiding

( Okay. This is the AU story I promised big sis. It's set in the AU I created with the story 'Inochi', cos it's my favourite setting aside from the actual anime version. Hope you like it! )

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She had a problem.

She and Mwu had been married for a little over three months, and so far, it had been everything they'd hoped it might be. Nothing much had changed from the previous year they had lived together as a couple after the war, and that was what made it perfect. They were happy enough, just living their lives in peace. But there was a problem.

Her problem had begun six short weeks ago, and although it was still small, it was growing day by day. She wouldn't be able to hide it forever. She was able to hide the mild sickness the problem caused, but couldn't hide her worry.

_What if he doesn't want this? What if he gets angry?_

Murrue knew perfectly well that her worry was idiotic. She knew that the best thing to do was to just own up to her husband, to tell him her news. But...she was too scared, a fact which annoyed her no end.

_I have to tell him..but it scares me, and I don't know why..._

So instead, she hid it. Hid her fear, and worry behind the mask she had so carefully built up, outwardly normal. Of course, she knew that she could never hide things like that from Mwu..he was always able to see through her. But she didn't know what else to do.

She simply stayed as she was, becoming increasingly quiet and withdrawn, trying not to see the confusion on her husband's face.

_It's not fair..to hide something like this from him. But I don't know how to tell him..._

The street outside the window was quiet, the flowers visible in the garden dancing in the light sea breeze. But Murrue didn't notice them. Her focus was inward, not outward...so she also didn't notice the figure standing behind her, leaning against the blue-painted wall.

"What are you hiding?"

She spun around in shock, seeing him standing there, scarred face half-shadowed in the doorway. Frowning, she bit her lip and looked away. "N-nothing..."

"Don't lie to me." he said shortly, the anger in his voice evident. "You are hiding something, I can tell. So, what is it?"

Murrue blinked back tears. "It's...nothing bad, I promise. Nothing you need to worry about..."

Mwu sighed, anger dissipating slightly at seeing his wife so sad. "Well..what do you expect me to think? You won't talk to me...will barely even look at me. It hurts, you know."

"I'm sorry.." she said softly, looking into his blue eyes. "I really am all right. There's just something I needed to tell you...but I don't know how to get the words out.."

"Try me." was all he said, smiling a little. Murrue half-turned away, focusing her gaze out of the window again, pale face partly hidden by the green curtains.

Then...she smiled.

Curious, Mwu stepped towards her to stand by her side, trying to see what it was that had cheered Murrue up so much. But he couldn't see anything..except.

_That? Is that why she's been so sad and distant? I never even thought about that..._

Walking down the street was a woman pushing a stroller. As they walked, a tiny windmill fastened to the pushchair twirled brightly in the breeze. A small chubby hand reached out from the inside to try and grab the shiny object, and Murrue's smile grew as she watched from the window.

"Is that why?" asked Mwu quietly, reaching out to pull her close. "Why you've been so sad? Why didn't you tell me you wanted to be a mom?" Wrapping her up in his arms, he held her to him, relieved almost beyond measure that her hidden worry wasn't what he had been afraid of. But he was surprised when, after a moment, she began to laugh. "What is it?"

"I don't _want_ to be a mom.." Murrue said softly, taking a deep breath. "Well, I do, but...I'm also _going_ to be." She stared up at him, amber eyes wide with worry. "Is that..you don't..."

And he could only stare. "You mean you're..." was all he could say. She nodded slowly, looking down at the floor. Suddenly she gasped in surprise as she was wrapped up in a tight hug again. "Mwu..what?"

Her husband laughed, face lit up in a smile of delight. "This is so cool!" Murrue blinked, not sure how to react. "You mean, you're okay with it? You're not mad?" she asked cautiously.

"Of course not!" he said happily. "Why would I be?" Kissing her lightly, he brushed a stray lock of auburn hair from her face. "How could I be mad at news like that?"

She smiled a little, looking rather embarrassed at herself. "Well..I wasn't sure how you'd react to it. Not everyone would be happy at hearing something like that."

"Well, I'm not everyone.." he pointed out with a grin. "And I _am_ happy. I always wondered - ever since we started living together..what it would be like if we had a kid. And now I get to find out. I'm sure it'll be great."

Murrue sighed with something very like relief as she rested her head on her husband's shoulder. "Well...I've only been this way for six weeks..it'll be quite a while before we have to really think about all this."

He nodded, pressing a kiss to her silky hair. "But it's going to be all right. You are okay with this, aren't you?"

"Oh, yes.." she replied with a dreamy smile. "I've wanted this for a very long time.."

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( Hmmm. Not that good, but meh. I kind of like it.

Please read and review, and tell me what you think! )


	128. Inner Hearts

( Okay..I'm not sure if I'll have anyone OOC in this chapter or not. It was just an idea I had..hope it's okay! )

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As the stately white ship completed the docking procedures, the bridge crew let out an almost collective sigh of relief and happiness. They were finally home. The second war was over, and hopefully now they could all live out their lives in peace, just as they had wanted. In the captain's chair, Murrue stretched out a little, smile on her face. It had been a long shift for everyone.

"We're home.." she said softly, drawing smiles from the tired faces of the crew. Raising her voice, the woman called to the rest of the bridge. "All right..once you've locked down your duty stations, everyone can go off shift and get some rest!"

That drew a quiet cheer from everyone, not least a tall, blonde-haired man, who peeked over his shoulder at his captain from where he sat in the co-pilot's seat. "Even me?" he asked with a grin. Murrue nodded. "Yes, Colonel, even you.."

His grin broadened, and he blew her a kiss. "Thanks, princess."

Murrue froze. After a swift glance around at the others (who were pretending they hadn't heard) she glared at Mwu, amber eyes narrowing in anger. Mwu blinked, obviously clueless as to why she had gotten so mad all of a sudden. Without a word, the auburn-haired woman rose from her chair, and walked off the bridge without a word.

_Idiot!_

Stalking into her office, she leaned against her desk, cheeks bright red with embarrassment and anger. She wasn't the least bit surprised to hear the door open behind her. "What?" he asked, just as she knew he would. "Why are you mad?"

She spun around, glaring at him again. "Why did you say that?" _Doesn't he get it?_

"Say what?" Mwu asked, clearly still confused. "The pet name? But I always call you that..."

"In _private_, yes!" she hissed. "But not in front of the crew like that!"

Mwu frowned, pushing long blonde hair from his face. "But..everyone already knows about us, and..." Murrue shook her head, scowling. "That's not the _point_!" she yelled, temper flaring. Without even looking at him again, she turned and stormed from the small office, leaving him standing there totally bewildered.

He sat there in the quiet mess hall, nursing a lukewarm cup of coffee. No-one else was around, most of the crew having already left the ship to reunite with families and friends. But he had no-one else..only her. But she obviously didn't want to be around him at the moment. He'd searched all over the ship for her, but it was if she had just disappeared.

"Man.." he grumbled to himself, staring into the mug. "What's her problem? I thought she'd have been happy about what I said, but instead she...doesn't she care anymore or something?"

"That's not it, Mwu-san.." Mwu turned at the voice, seeing Kira standing there. The boy smiled a little. "I heard from Miriallia what happened..." He sat down opposite his older friend, who frowned, still confused. "Not it? Then what is it?"

"It's not that Murrue-san doesn't care. You know that it's just the opposite. The crew - all of us - know very well how you and she feel about each other, we only had to see how upset she was after Jachin Due to notice it. But she never once spoke about the time you both spent together, and we never asked. It was her secret, even though it wasn't really a secret. You know how private a person she is."

Mwu nodded. He knew very well. Kira smiled, and continued. "Well...everyone can see how she feels about you, but those of us who know her well can also see that she's having trouble with those feelings. You've just come back into her life after being gone for so long...and I think that her emotions are so strong, she's having trouble dealing with them. Whatever she's feeling, she wants to keep it to herself...and you. Murrue-san let you in..chose to share her life with you. But _only_ you. Do you see?"

He did see. _What I said on the bridge..in front of everyone...I rather broadcasted out relationship...and that's the last thing she wanted..._He knew how different Murrue could be sometimes. The reserved and polite way she treated the crew, and the way she acted when it was just the two of them alone...

_She's still the same..keeps her personal and professional lives separate, and it makes her uncomfortable when the two are mixed._

What he'd said..he'd hurt her.

Sighing, finally understanding, Mwu looked up at Kira. "Do you know where she is?"

The boy shook his head. "No. Murrue-san always does this. When she was upset, or worried before, while we were here, she would always go somewhere to be alone. All she'd ever say is that it was the place where she'd felt at her happiest..most at peace with herself. We never knew where that was..."

But Mwu grinned, relieved. "I know where that is.." Standing to leave the mess hall, he winked at Kira. "Thanks kid. You and the others..you took real good care of Murrue. And you..you've really grown up, you know? The things you say, and the way you say them..it sounds like the way the princess would talk.."

Kira looked embarrassed. "Well..I've been with Lacus for two years..so I guess part of her rubbed off, huh?"

Night had fallen, a few clouds drifting across the glowing white orb of the moon. But the light was still enough so that he could easily find his way up the path on the cliff. It was exactly the same as he remembered, the clearing on the clifftop, still carpeted with soft grass and wildflowers. And, just as he had thought..there she was. Sitting alone, staring out at the darkened sea.

"Will you forgive me?" he asked quietly, but loud enough so she could hear him over the sound of the surf hitting the rocks. Murrue looked round, not seeming surprised that he'd been able to find her. But her expression..it made Mwu's heart twist.

Her amber eyes were shimmering, and he could make out the trails of tears on her cheeks glistening in the moonlight. He looked away, not able to face the pain in her eyes. "I'm...sorry.." he said.

After a moment, he slowly made his way across to where she was, sitting down beside her. "I'm sorry.." he said again. "I realise..that what I said hurt you..and I'd made myself a promise that I'd never hurt you again." He sighed. "I'm not too good with promises, huh?"

Murrue was silent for a moment, thin hands twisted together in her lap. Then finally, she spoke, her soft voice so quiet Mwu could barely hear her. "Sometimes I dreamed..that we could be together. While I was alone..I would always try and imagine the kind of life we could have had..the kind of future we could have had. But now that we have it..have the chance to be together..it scares me. It's different from how I imagined it would be. I do want this, want to be with you, but..." She took hold of his hand suddenly, squeezing tightly. "But _only_ you. I don't want to let anyone else in. It sounds stupid, I know..." She looked up at him, eyes wide. "Do you..see what I mean?"

_She's frightened.._Mwu realised. _Even though she knows I'm right here with her again now..she's still frightened. Scared that somehow..I might disappear again, and leave her all alone like before. That's why she was so angry at my pet name before. The way she's feeling at the moment..she wants it to be the two of us and no-one else. Our own world, where the outside can't get in..._

"Yeah.." he replied, bringing her close to him. "I know. Like it was before..our own world, right?"

Murrue nodded, moving closer so she was curled up on his lap. "What we have together..our lives, our future, this place..it's just ours, no-one else's..."

Mwu knew that this wasn't like her. But then again, sometimes inner strength could only keep someone going for so long. She'd been alone. On the outside, surrounded by friends, warmth. But inside..she'd been alone. Now he was back in her life..she was relearning how to share her heart with another. But it would take time.

_However long it takes, I'll be with her. Until she learns to let others in again._

Murrue sighed, the tension finally draining from her body. Smiling a little, she snuggled even closer, head resting on his shoulder. "I do love you, you know.." she murmured. "Even if you are an idiot sometimes.."

He laughed at that. "I know.."

Looking up, she stared at the moon. "I'm glad that you remember this place..I used to visit here all the time if I was sad or worried about something. I would sit here and remember how peaceful and happy I felt that day. It always helped."

"I'm glad it hasn't changed.." Mwu replied, pressing a kiss to her scented hair. "And now..we can visit here as much as we like. Just you and me.."

_You don't need to be afraid to let people in. But until the two of us become used to a peaceful, happy life, until we stop thinking that it's all a dream, it can be just the two of us._

After all, deep down, didn't he feel the same way she did?

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( That may have been OOC, but I wonder. Even before, Murrue-san never wanted her relationship with Mwu to be something everyone knew about (even though a lot of people did). She never spoke about it, did she?

I just wondered if, when he finally came back to her, if she wouldn't want to keep it to just the two of them, not letting anyone else in. Does it sound weird?

Please read and review! )


	129. Reassuring

( Hmm..this is set pretty early on in Seed. A bit of a contrast as I prefer the Destiny continuity. But since I started rewatching Seed, this story came to mind. Hope it's okay! )

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The night air was filled with shouting and laughter. Fires dotted the desert floor, surrounded by people celebrating the outcome of the recent battle, drinking and making ribald comments. In the midst of all this activity, the _Archangel_ stood silent, as if recovering from the day's fighting.

_Today sure was tough on everyone. And the kid was really upset by it, too..._

He knew that having to do battle with the Desert Tiger had really shaken Kira, especially having met him in Banadiya like that. Mwu had warned the kid not to get too friendly with someone who could be an enemy..but Kira _was_ just a kid, after all.

Sighing, he slung his uniform jacket over one shoulder, and stepped out onto the outer deck of the great ship, intending to enjoy the cool night air.

But he wasn't alone.

A small, slight figure stood by the railing, staring up at the night sky. The soft glow of the moon bathed her in silver light, and Mwu had to rub his eyes to make sure there really _was_ someone there, not a figment of his imagination. She stood there in silence, pale cheeks still flushed pink from the effects of the moonshine earlier. But that wasn't all. There was something different about her tonight. The quiet inner strength, the determination he so admired..that was all still there. But there was something else. Something he'd only ever caught glimpses of before.

Loneliness. And a sad, heavy vulnerability. Mwu hated to see that from her..it didn't suit her.

"What's wrong?" he asked softly, the question making her jump in surprise. She whirled around, auburn hair flying. "Oh, Commander!" she said, startled. "I-I didn't know you were here..."

"I just got here. But...are you okay? he asked, knowing he looked concerned. The Captain smiled a little, the previous pained expression disappearing. But he knew that those feelings were still there...she was just hiding them. Like always. "Yes..I'm fine, thank you. I was just..wondering, that's all.." Her amber gaze shifted upwards to the sky again, and Mwu smiled.

"Yeah, you will.." he said quietly, making her turn to him again. "Will what?" she questioned with a small frown. In answer, he pointed upwards. "You were wondering whether you'll be able to go back into space again one day." His smile grew. "Well, you will. I just know it."

The Captain nodded, but still looked wistful. "I don't know...will we even make it to Alaska?" Her narrow shoulders slumped a little, and Mwu sighed. "You know..you worry too much. We'll be fine. Me and the kid are here to protect the ship, after all. We'll make it."

She smiled a little at that, the expression slightly rueful. "I wish everyone else had your confidence. Perhaps the rest of the crew would if their captain did..."

Mwu shook his head, rubbing the back of his neck with one hand. "Are you still worried about that? That you're no good at this?" He sighed again in exasperation, shaking his head. Leaning against the railing, he looked up at her. "Look. No-one's asking you to be perfect, are they? You were kicked into this, after all, and you're doing a damn good job considering."

The Captain didn't look convinced, small mouth pursed. "I'm sure Natarle thinks she could do a better job.." she said softly, as if afraid to let him hear.

"Maybe she could." he replied, causing her to stare in surprise. "But, " he continued, looking at the stars, "maybe not. Swallowing the rulebook doesn't necessarily make someone a good captain - they have to be flexible too. Be able to bend the rules when they have to. You think she could do that?"

The Captain blinked, considering that idea. Then she shook her head, corners of her mouth turned up in a tiny smile. "I guess not.." she admitted. "But still, I..."

"Don't let it bother you. Besides..don't you think that the fact that this crew likes and respects you so much counts for something?" Mwu asked mildly, inwardly grinning when her dark eyes widened. "Really." he emphasised.

And finally, she smiled. A true smile, the expression lighting up her face. "Thank you.." she said softly, placing a hand on the railing.

"For what?" he asked, smiling back, delighted that she had finally cheered up.

"For..being my friend." she replied. "For standing up for me so often. I really appreciate that.."

Mwu shook his head, moving a little closer to her. "You don't have to thank me, you know.." But her words, her gratitude...how could he help but feel warm and kinda happy inside?

The Captain smiled again at that, gaze shifting to stare at the sky again. And since she wasn't looking at him, it gave him the perfect opportunity to simply stare at her.

_She really is so beautiful..._

It had all been for her. The companionship, the help..it had all been for her. Because he had grown to care for her a great deal, even though their time together had been short. But he looked forward immensely to getting to know her even better.

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( Heh, bless. She always angsts so much about being a good captain..and I'm sure he'd try to make her feel better about it. I think she's a really good captain, anyway. It only proves that in Destiny, where no-one else would even consider anyone being captain but her..

Please read and review! )


	130. What If

He couldn't see a thing. Everything was black. But..he wasn't worried.

He could feel something warm covering his eyes..something soft pressing against his back. And when he tried to turn around to see who was there, he could hear laughter, gentle and happy.

"Guess who?" a soft voice tickled his ear, making him smile. Reaching up, Mwu took her hands that covered his eyes in his own, squeezing them lightly. "No idea" he replied, smile growing when he heard her laughter again.

He didn't often get to see her 'playful' side. It was something she kept hidden from everyone else but him, and even then, he didn't get to see it much. So these moments..he treasured.

After a moment, the hands were removed from his eyes, and instead her arms wrapped around his middle in a tight hug. She snuggled close against his back, enjoying his warmth.

"Well, _someone_'s happy.." Mwu remarked, still holding onto her hands. Letting go, she moved around to face him, floating in the zero gravity. Her dark hair hovered around her shoulders, a soft smile on her face. "Well, we said, didn't we?" arms folded as though scolding him. "That when our shifts were over, we'd meet here." Amber eyes narrowed in mock annoyance. "Did you forget?"

He laughed, reaching out to wind a lock of her auburn hair around a finger. "Of course not. If I had, why would I be here?"

She pouted slightly. "I guess..I was just wondering, that's all. Because..I've been looking forward to this all day.." she said, suddenly shy.

"What?" Mwu asked with a grin. "Your day been _that_ bad?"

"Well...no, not that bad," she admitted. "But when you're looking forward to something, any day seems longer." Thinking about that, he nodded. "That's true. So," he said cheerfully, "what would you like to do?"

She thought for a moment, then smiled. "Can we stay here for a little while?" Mwu blinked, surprised. "There's not much to see, you know.." he replied, gesturing at the blank walls of Mendel beyond the thick glass of the observation ports.

Smiling again, Murrue snuggled back against him. "That isn't the point though really, is it?"

The couple stood there together, staring out at nothing. They didn't know how long they stayed there, floating silently together, but it didn't much matter. Her head resting on his broad shoulder, his arms wrapped snugly around her..it was perfect.

But then of course, nothing lasted forever.

"Tell me something.." he murmured, startling her a little. "If the war ended right now, right this very minute, then what would you like to happen the most? What would you like to do?"

"If it ended now? With no more fighting?" she asked, twining her fingers with his. "Nothing."

Mwu seemed surprised. "Really?"

"Really." she clarified, leaning back further against him. Turning her head slightly, Murrue looked up into his blue eyes. "Because I'd have everything I needed to be happy." Smiling, she lifted his hands from where they were clasped around her slender waist, and kissed his fingers. "The end of the war...and _you_. Here, safe with me. I wouldn't need anything else."

Mwu laughed gently, moving around to kiss her softly on the cheek. "Same here.."

Murrue closed her eyes, still smiling as she imagined it, the war being over, no more worry over whether they were doing the right thing..no more fear that she might lose _him_. Deep down, she knew very well that something like that couldn't happen, that even when, or if, the war finally did end, it wouldn't happen without many more lives being lost. But his optimistic scenario...it sounded wonderful. And that really would be all she wanted. A life of peace..a life shared with _him._

"So.." she asked quietly, still locked in his warm embrace, "what shall we do next? Your choice this time."

Mwu thought for a moment, and she twisted around to watch his face, a blush slowly creeping onto her cheeks as a saucy grin began to play on his lips. "W-what?" she asked faintly, not wanting to know, although her heartbeat had picked up.

He opened his bright blue eyes, and winked at her. "Let's go get something to eat!"

Murrue's eyes widened, and she coughed, looking away so he wouldn't see her flushed cheeks. But he laughed, tilting her chin up so she was looking right at him. "What's that look for, Captain? Were you thinking of something else?"

She chose not to answer that, and he laughed again, leaning down to kiss her sweetly. When they broke for air, she smiled again, face still tinged with pink.

"If the war did end right now...could we stay like this, do you think?"

"Of course." he replied simply. "If that was what you wanted, I'd be happy for us to be like this for always. I couldn't imagine anything I'd like more."

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( You know how sometimes you just _write_ things, and you have absolutely no excuse for it? This was one of those times.

Please read and review! )


	131. Lantern

"What's that?"

The tiny sitting room of the beach house was strewn with pieces of wood and paper, and in the midst of all this, Kira sat with some of the older orphan children, hard at work on...something. Picking her way into the room, balancing the tea that Lacus had made for her, Murrue cautiously settled on the sofa, being careful not to sit on anything that might be important. Kira looked up, smiling a little. "We're making spirit lanterns.." he replied, holding up a finished one for his older friend to look at. It was nothing very elaborate, a flat piece of wood mounted with a simple paper box. Murrue frowned, carefully turning the object over in her hands. "What are they for?"

"It was Mom's idea." replied the boy, finishing another lantern. "In the country Dad was from, around this time every year there's a festival to honour the dead, a time when their spirits are supposed to come back and visit the living. At the end of the festival, people used to set these floating down rivers to the sea, to help the spirits find their way back to heaven.."

Murrue smiled, setting the lantern on the floor. "That's a nice idea. So..your mother wanted one for your father?"

Kira nodded, looking up at Lacus, who had settled herself on the sofa next to her friend. The pink-haired girl set her tea cup on the floor. "It was originally going to be just one. But then...everyone here has lost someone to the war. So we decided to make lots of these lanterns, one for each of us...so we would all be able to honour the ones that we lost." she said softly, a gentle smile on her face.

Kira gestured to the lanterns that littered the floor. "Murrue-san - would you like us to make one for _you_? For Mwu-san?"

The woman blinked, surprised, then nodded, expression one of sadness, the suppressed loneliness that always haunted her.

Later that evening, she stood alone on the balcony of the house, staring out over the cliff-top to the sea. The water was tinged with the orange and pink of the sunset, and calmed her somewhat. Amber eyes focused on the horizon, she clasped a small fabric object in thin hands. A uniform cap. _His_ cap. Hugging it close, Murrue closed her eyes.

_What Kira-kun said..it makes me wonder. It's not something I think about that often, but...does he come to visit me, from wherever he is? Is he happy in heaven? I wish I knew..wish I could ask him._

"What's wrong?"

Opening her eyes, she turned to see Andrew Bartfeld at the door to the balcony, a concerned look on scarred face. Smiling, she shook her head. "It's nothing. I was just thinking..about something Kira-kun and Lacus-san mentioned earlier..." Still clasping the hat, she told her friend about the lantern festival, and the meaning behind it. Andrew smiled.

"That's a nice tradition..good to believe." Murrue nodded, training eyes on the floor. "To believe that the ones we loved - the ones that we lost - are safe somewhere, and happy, even if we can't see or be with them..."

A few days later, a little crowd gathered on the banks of the river at dusk, each holding a lantern boat. One by one, Kira lit the candles that stood inside the paper lanterns on each boat, and their owners set them carefully into the water, watching as they slowly sailed away. Frowning slightly, Murrue turned to Caridad, who was watching sadly.

"So, what happens now?"

Her older friend smiled a little, and pointed. "When the candle in each boat goes out, it means that the spirit it's there to guide has found their way back to heaven..."

Nodding slowly, Murrue watched the tiny lantern she had lit for Mwu make it's way down the river with the others. One by one, the lights flickered and went out, causing their owners to smile, or shed a few silent tears. But one lantern stayed lit.

Mwu's.

Murrue was confused. Why had his stayed lit? She turned to Caridad with a questioning expression, feeling a lump in her throat. "Why hasn't it gone out?"

Her friend wrapped an arm around her. "Don't worry. There's no reason to be sad. Maybe..he just wants to stay with you as long as he can?"

Blinking back tears, Murrue nodded. _It's nice to imagine..._ She stayed there, watching the tiny light from the lantern as long as she could before the boat disappeared from sight.

The next day, she walked around the garden watering the flowers, smiling at the feel of the sunlight and ocean breeze. Idly she wondered whether Mwu's spirit had finally returned to heaven, and laughed quietly, shaking her head a little.

_Typical Mwu.._

"Murrue-san!"

Looking up, she saw Kira standing at the gate. "Kira-kun?" Walking across, she unfastened the latch, stepping back to let the boy enter the garden. "It's not often you come to visit," she said happily, brushing dark hair from her face. "What can I do for you?"

In reply, Kira held something out. The lantern boat..the one she had lit for Mwu.

Murrue didn't know what to say. Kira smiled softly. "We found it this morning - wedged on the river bank just before it went out to sea." Opening the paper lid of the lantern, he gestured to the candle.

"Look..it didn't snuff out..it burned itself out..."

The woman frowned, picking up the boat. "What does that mean?"

"I asked Mom what she thought," replied Kira, "and she said that maybe..Mwu-san didn't want to go back to heaven. You told me once..that Mwu-san made you a promise. That he'd come back to you."

Murrue nodded, fingers tightening on the small object she held. Kira smiled. "Maybe this is his way of keeping that promise? Mwu-san always did seem happiest when he was with you..and perhaps he thought that there was more going on down here?"

Murrue laughed. She couldn't help it. It sounded so silly, to think that a candle in a paper boat could have so much meaning. But what if it was true? What if Mwu had come to visit her...and decided not to go back?

"Well..." she said, at first not heeding the tears that had begun to trickle down her cheeks, "he always did like to stand out.."

Her laughter became hitched, then turned into sobs. "Damn.." she whispered. "I told myself that I wouldn't cry anymore.."

"It's okay to cry," said Kira softly. "Sometimes you have to."

Sitting down on a garden chair, blindly fumbling for it, she set the tiny boat down on the ground, burying her face in thin hands.

And she cried. The tears streaming down her face, causing her breathing to be choked, shoulders shaking. Kira didn't say anything, simply stood to one side to offer a comforting presence if needed.

_It's been two years almost..since that idiot died. Why do I still feel this way? Why in God's name do I still love him so much? Is he really still so close to my heart that a paper boat with a candle in can make me react like this?_

Whatever the reason, it hurt. Hurt to think that just maybe, he was still with her in some way, watching over her like he'd done when he'd been alive..but that she couldn't see him. That his comfort was there still, but untouchable.

And the thought that perhaps, if Caridad's belief was true, that Mwu's spirit, or whatever, hadn't gone back to heaven because he preferred to be with her...it only made the tears come harder.

_I miss him so much..._

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( zOMG angst!

The festival..it's real. It's a Japanese festival called O-Bon, which takes place around this time every August. And at the end, people really do set those little paper boats off down rivers to light the spirits of the dead back to the afterlife.

As for Mwu, well, this can be taken two ways, depending on which scenario you prefer. Either his spirit didn't go back to heaven because he wanted to stay with Murrue-san, or his spirit didn't return to heaven..because it was never there in the first place.

Please read and review, and tell me what you think! )


	132. Living For Yourself

She hated this.

Hated the endless piles of reports, and the fact that she was never away from the laptop in her office when she wasn't pulling bridge duty. She knew that there was no choice, that since _Archangel_ no longer had a second-in-command, there was twice as much work. She tolerated it as best she could, telling herself that the late nights weren't so bad, because this needed to be done. She sat there in the tiny office, with no other company save a mug of coffee, often until the early hours of the morning in order to stay on top of everything, knowing that this was what was expected of her.

But even though that was the case...something didn't feel right. Murrue knew perfectly well that all this was part of her job. She wanted badly to be a good captain to her crew, to do everything right. But even though she tried her hardest..something felt wrong. She was happy when she finished her work, but at the same time felt frustrated and cross.

_Why is that? I've done everything that's been expected of me as captain..so why do I feel like I've forgotten something? Why do I feel this way?_

She was probably just tired, she reasoned. She hadn't been able to get much sleep, the same as almost everyone on the critically-undermanned ship. It was the same for the rest of the crew, herself, the bridge crew, Mwu...

She frowned. There it was again. That feeling that she was missing something. Where had it come from? Sighing, Murrue poked at the now lukewarm mug of coffee, a small smile creeping onto her face as she remembered Mwu so often making the hot drink for herm his cheery voice and smile lifting the worry from her shoulders, even if only for a little while.

Then her smile disappeared.

_That's it. That's the reason I feel as though I'm missing something. Because **he** isn't here._

Mwu had been just as busy as she had the last fortnight or so. Ever since he'd got Strike, he'd spent almost all of his time down in the hangar bay, tuning up the mobile suit, tweaking the OS that Kira-kun had written. She hadn't seen him for all that time, both of them having to concentrate on work. And at first, Murrue hadn't minded. After all, it was a perfect opportunity to get some of her work done without distractions. But now..what?

_This is so stupid. I have so much to do..we both have. I shouldn't be feeling this way. After all, if he's so busy with Strike, shouldn't I be happy about that? That he's working to keep himself safe?_

But she **wasn't** happy. And that annoyed her. Most of all, she felt angry with herself..for being so selfish. She was the captain, after all. Every member of the crew needed and relied on her, and Murrue wanted to do the right thing for everyone. But deep down, all she really wanted was to be with him. It was so selfish of her...she had to laugh.

_All the crew need me..I can't focus on just one person like this. I can't put him above everyone else. But I guess..I should have thought about this earlier...before falling in love with him._

Now that she understood why she was feeling the way she was - she felt torn. Between her duties and responsibilities of being captain, and him. How could she work like this? Being captain, but giving her heart to just one person? What did she do? Carry on with it, the way things were, and just hope that if she worked hard enough, she wouldn't feel this lonely...wouldn't miss him?

That wouldn't work, Murrue realised. Because now she understood her own feelings about this, and working harder would just make this feeling worse. Perhaps some sleep would help? Clear her mind?

It didn't help.

It felt like she'd laid there for hours, even though the clock on the nightstand told her it had been ten minutes. Her mind whirled, taking her back to her worry, her conflicting emotions. Duty or love? Which was more important? Sighing loudly, Murrue tried to settle down and get some sleep. She _was_ tired, after all. But sleep was frustratingly absent. Her thoughts simply wouldn't let her rest.

_"_This is so stupid.." she mumbled to herself, sitting up and hugging her pillow. Her room was dark, and quiet, but not peaceful. Everything was where it should be, but nothing felt right. There was something else that she needed...and she could no longer deny it.

Picking up the rumpled pillow, she opened her door, peeking out to make sure none of the crew was around. When it became clear that no-one was in sight, she tiptoed across the corridor, tapping in the code to the door across the hallway. Annoyed with herself, she crept inside the other room, to see him sitting there at his desk, totally absorbed in his work. Quietly, Murrue perched on the end of his bed, and watched him work.

After a little while, Mwu sighed and stretched out. Turning around in his chair, he almost fell over when he saw her sitting on his bed. "Murrue? What is it?"

She looked up, smiling a little. She looked exhausted, dark circles shadowing those amber eyes of hers. "It's nothing, really.." she said softly, staring at her lap, and the pillow she clutched. "I just...needed to see you." Mwu smiled tenderly, getting up off the chair and floating across to where she sat. "I'm glad." he replied. "After I'd finished..I'd actually planned to come see _you_. I missed you." Murrue glanced up sharply at that, an odd worry on her pale face. "Is it selfish?" she asked suddenly, making him blink in surprise. "Selfish of us to want this when we have so much else to think about?"

He studied her for a moment, deep in thought. Then he smiled. "Perhaps it is. But people need to be selfish sometimes. I can understand why you're worried, but don't be. Living for other people is all well and good, but you can't do anything for others if you don't live for _yourself_ every once in a while."

Sitting down beside her, he pulled her close. "Nothing bad would happen if we spent time together, would it?" Lifting the covers of his bed, he climbed in, offering her the space beside him. Hesitating a moment, Murrue sighed, slipping under the covers and lying close to him.

"I still don't know which is most important.." she murmured, sleepy now. "But maybe it doesn't matter as much as I thought.."

Mwu smiled. He didn't know what she meant by that, but he didn't much care. He'd had trouble sleeping these past couple of weeks, missing her presence by his side. Now that she was here, he could sleep peacefully.

Taking her into his arms, he felt a warmth in his chest as she snuggled up to him with another happy sigh.

_Whatever else we might kid ourselves we want, this is what we **need**..._

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( That wasn't too weird, was it?

Please read and review! )


	133. Reminder

The large hangar under the cliff rang to the sounds of voices, the techicians and crewmembers unloading supplies and equipment from the stately white ship. Tomorrow, _Archangel_ would be moved to the main fleet facility at Onogoro, but before that happened, a lot of things had to be moved..things the ship no longer needed now that it was part of the military rather than a stand-alone unit.

One man stood in the midst of all this activity, watching the people scurry past, occasionally flicking blue eyes up to focus on the rocky ceiling high above. "This place sure is impressive.." he whistled, turning to the chief mechanic standing a little way away. "How did you guys build it?"

Murdoch laughed. "Well, we had to hide the ship somewhere, didn't we? We couldn't let the Alliance know where it was, and we figured the less the Orb high-ups knew, the better. Not even the Representative knew the old girl was here. Some Morgenroete guys came and helped us build this place."

Mwu nodded thoughtfully, understanding the reasons for the secrecy. Murdoch watched his friend for a moment, then brightened as he remembered something. "Hey, Colonel?" Mwu turned to him. "Yeah?"

"Here," said the gruff man. "I want to show you something. The ship isn't the only thing that we kept here after the last war.." With that, he turned and made his way along a rocky passageway lit by small electric lights. Mwu frowned, clearly confused, but followed anyway. In another, smaller hangar, the squadron of Murasames stood silently, waiting to be transferred back to the air base the next day. But Murdoch walked past these, to a dim alcove at the back of the room. Flicking a light switch, he turned to watch his friend's reaction.

Mwu stared in amazement, colour draining from his scarred face. "You..still have this?"

"Sure do," laughed Murdoch. "We weren't sure what to do with it at first. Some of us wondered if we shouldn't just let it go to drift in space, and some wanted to give it to a museum, after all..it's the only one of it's kind left. But the captain wouldn't hear of it. She insisted that we keep it..so here it is."

Mwu smiled slowly, crossing the metal floor of the small hangar to place a hand on the object. The orange fuselage of the Moebius Zero gleamed in the bright lighting, still the same as it had been the last time he'd seen it. At the cool feeling of the metal, memories flooded through him, causing him to close his eyes.

_It's still here..been here all this time. And she kept it.._

Opening his eyes, he grinned, turning suddenly and running from the hangar. Murdoch just smiled.

Murrue stood in the main hangar, clipboard clutched in one thin hand, directing the supplies that were being unloaded. She smiled to herself at the thought that everything really would be over after this. They didn't have to fight anymore..could live a life of peace once more. But for her..now she had more than peace. She had happiness too.

Feeling a light tap on her shoulder, she turned around, still smiling. He stood there, blonde hair all messy, a huge, delighted grin on his handsome face. "Mwu..what is it?" she asked in fond exasperation. "We still have a lot to do, you know.."

In reply, he wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting her clear from the ground. "Hey!" she protested, voice almost a squeak. "What are you doing?"

Mwu just laughed, spinning her around before setting her back down on the ground. "I just wanted to thank you." he said happily, before planting his lips on hers in a passionate kiss. Murrue never had time to pull away, to even say or do anything but be swept up in his embrace.

Finally, when he let her go, she scowled up at him in breathless annoyance. "What do you think you're doing?" she asked, hands on hips, cheeks bright red in embarrassment. He simply smiled again, one hand caressing her thick dark hair. "I told you. It's a thank you. For keeping the Zero."

Murrue blinked, surprised, then her annoyance melted into a soft smile. "You're welcome. But you could have thanked me later.."

Later that day, the couple returned to where the orange mobile armour sat, Murrue climbing up to sit on the docking frame, one small hand resting on the painted metal. "Are you really so surprised that we kept it?" she asked, smiling down at him. Mwu shrugged. "I never thought about it. Sure, I remembered the old thing, but never imagined that you'd want to keep it.." Moving towards where she sat, he took her in his arms for a gentle hug. "But thank you.."

"Of course I'd want to keep it.." she said, looking away, cheeks flushing pink. "It was a reminder of you, and I had hardly any of those. Of course, I had my memories, but they aren't always enough if you're feeling lonely. I needed something I could touch.." she clarified, thin fingers running through his hair. "Something real. That's why I kept this, and why I still have your hat."

Mwu smiled, looking up at her. Her amber eyes were softened with the loving smile curving her lips, dark hair framing her face. She was every bit as beautiful as she'd been the time they had spent together two years before, but something about her was different.

He'd noticed it more as his memories had returned. That although she'd been lonely while he'd been gone, she no longer worried so much. Before..she was concerned with everything, constantly fretting that she wasn't doing a good enough job, that they wouldn't be able to change things like they all wanted to. But that was gone now. In it's place, alongside the quiet strength she'd always had, was a calm confidence, determination. She was so strong...

"You're different now.." he murmured, not really aware he was speaking aloud. But Murrue heard. "I am? How?"

Mwu laughed a little, moving forward to lay his head on her narrow shoulder. "Peace suits you.." he said softly. "I just wonder whether everyone has changed to much for me to catch up with you.."

"Don't be silly. Of course they haven't.." she scolded lightly. "And peace will suit you too. You need it after all you've gone through. And now I have something I wanted...something I never had in those last two years. Something only you could have given me."

"Oh?" he asked, smiling as he saw the blush on her face. "And what would that be?"

"Happiness." she replied simply. "Memories, reminders..they only hit home the fact that you weren't here. In those years, I was content with my life, but not happy. A few times I tried to imagine..life with someone else, but I could never do it." She leaned forward to tap him gently on the nose. "You're very hard to forget, you know.."

Mwu grinned, bringing her down for a kiss. "Good to hear. Now you have to teach me what peace is like, okay?"

She laughed. "Okay."

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( WAFFLE! XD!

Please read and review! )


	134. Privacy

( Okay. This story has teh limeness, so that's one warning. Also maybe OOC in parts, so there's another. Lol.)

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The house smelled good.

The first bright rays of sunshine spilled through the small windows, lighting up the wooden house. The orphans scurried about, getting dressed and helping set the table for breakfast. In the tiny kitchen, a woman stood before the stove stirring something in a pan. The appetising aroma filled the room, and she smiled, brushing dark hair from her face as she tasted a spoonful of the food. That is, until she felt warm arms snake around her waist, and a kiss on her cheek.

"Wha-" she managed, dropping the spoon. He didn't answer, just nuzzled his face into her hair. She smiled, shaking her head slightly. "I'm busy, you know.." she pointed out. He just laughed, the deep chuckle sounding in his chest, and kissed her again. Sighing, she leaned back against him, giggling a little as his long hair tickled her neck.

Only for Lacus to walk in with one of the children. "Oh my!" she gasped, hand pressed to mouth. "I'm sorry!"

Mwu sighed, letting go of Murrue's waist. "I'll go see if the kid needs any help." was all he said before pushing open the door and walking outside. Murrue didn't say anything, but her shoulders slumped as she watched him leave, a wistful expression in her eyes.

Lacus frowned sadly.

"Kira?"

The boy looked up at where his girlfriend stood. Her face wore a worried expression, which wasn't like her at all. "What's wrong?"

Lacus sat down beside him, setting her teacup on the floor. "It's Murrue-san and Fllaga-san...I was just thinking that all this isn't fair on them. We were the ones who invited them to stay here while they found a place of their own..but with everything that happens, with all the people living here, they can never really be alone together. Murrue-san cooks meals for everyone, and Fllaga-san has even helped mend the house. I asked Murrue-san once that you and I could take the children out for the day, let the two of them have the house to themselves...but she wouldn't hear of it, saying that they were guests here. What can we do to help them?"

Later that morning, Kira asked Mwu and Murrue if they would come with him into the city to help with the shopping. Suspecting nothing, the couple climbed into the small car, and Kira drove into the middle of the city.

"Okay!" he said cheerfully, after his friends got out of the vehicle. "Now you two enjoy yourselves today. Do whatever you want, and come back home when you feel like it!" Without another word, he drove away, leaving Mwu and Murrue staring after him in amazed shock.

"Why is he treating _us_ like the kids?" Mwu wanted to know, running a hand through thick blonde hair. Murrue didn't answer, stifling a giggle. She knew that Mwu could act as indignant as he wanted, but he'd been wanting this as much as she had.

Smiling shyly up at him, she took his hand in her small one. "So..what shall we do?"

Grinning, he squeezed her hand, and together the two of them began walking. They didn't know where they were going, neither did they care. Or perhaps..one of them knew exactly where they were going?

"Mwu.." she sighed, one hand to her face as he led them into the foyer of a hotel. "I don't think this is what Kira-kun meant..."

"Probably it isn't," he replied as the couple walked up to the reception desk. "But does it matter?"

The room they booked was only a tiny one, but big enough for the two of them. There was a small TV, and a kettle, and even a small bathroom. The bed was piled high with fluffy blankets and pillows...perfect when you'd been sleeping on a mattress on the floor of someone else's house for the past two months. Murrue sat down on the edge of the bed, staring up at Mwu with those beautiful amber eyes. "So now what?" she asked with a small smile.

Instead of answering, the tall man wandered past where she sat, pushing open the door to the small bathroom. "How about a bath?" he replied after a moment, gesturing to the enamel tub that sat on the tiled floor. Pushing herself off the bed, Murrue came to see, standing on tiptoes to peek over his shoulder. "Isn't that a bit small?" she asked softly.

"It's better than a shower, isn't it?"

She smiled, resting her chin on his shoulder. "I guess.." she answered, placing a kiss on his cheek.

"I feel all soapy still.." he grumbled as he sat on the plush bed, scrubbing at a tanned arm with the fluffy towel. She just watched him, one eyebrow raised, towel wrapped around her own body. "It's your own fault." she replied unsympathetically. "You were the one who put too many bubbles in. Why, anyway?"

He shrugged, grin in deep voice. "'Cause it was fun, that's why." Murrue sighed, shaking her head in muted exasperation. "You'll never change, will you?"

"Would you love me as much if I did?" His blue eyes twinkled mischievously, and she had to laugh. "No.." she admitted, moving closer and planting a gentle kiss on his cheek. And that was all he'd been waiting for. With another laugh, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her backwards, wrapping strong arms around her in a hold she couldn't escape from - not that she wanted to...

She looked up at him, thin fingers idly playing with his long hair. Mwu smiled happily, leaning down to kiss her. As the exchange grew, her arms moved to wrap around his neck, fingers this time tracing the muscles and scars on his still-damp back. She felt a gentle but insistent tug on the towel she wore, and smiled into the kiss. She'd known all along that this had been Mwu's intention, yet she hadn't stopped him. Hadn't she wanted this just as much as he had?

"So now what do we do?"

She peered up at him from where her head lay on his broad chest. It made her neck ache to look up at him like that, but Murrue felt far too comfortable and happy to move right now. The sheets were cool and smooth against her skin, and her leg was being softly tickled by Mwu's bare toe. "I don't know.." she murmured, settling back down. A small smile played on her lips as she traced a finger across his chest. "We could go for a walk, or get something to eat..anything we wanted, really. But.."

"But what?" he asked, hand finding her dark hair. She sighed, snuggling closer. "I don't really want to go _anywhere_ right now.." Her eyes closed, and her smile grew. "I'm a bit too relaxed.."

"Oh? You think so? Well, I bet I can make you even _more_ relaxed.." he said cheerfully. Murrue frowned, lifting her head to look right at him. "You can?"

She soon realised she needn't have asked.

His hands disappeared under the soft bedcovers, and after a moment, her eyes widened, cheeks pinking up. "M-Mwu! Stop that!"

"Why?" he asked, wicked smile on his face. "You accepted the challenge, didn't you?"

"I-it was a question..not acceptance.." she shot back, breathing becoming heavier. "T-this isn't..isn't fair.." He didn't bother to answer, just grinned as her eyes closed unwillingly, and her fingernails dug into his arms.

"But it feels good, doesn't it?" he asked conversationally, his smile growing as she shuddered violently, laying her head back on his shoulder with a shaky gasp.

"Jerk." she replied after a while, voice muffled. "I'll get you back for that.."

"I'll look forward to it," he replied, planting a kiss on her soft hair. The couple lay together like that for a while, the only sounds to be heard their light breathing. Murrue didn't move, dark eyes closed. Mwu peeked down and smiled. "You asleep?"

"No.." she replied quietly, although she did sound drowsy. "I was just wondering..how we should thank Kira-kun and Lacus-san for this.."

"Should we?" he thought aloud. "After all, those kids did understand that we needed this, but there was nothing stopping us doing this for ourselves.."

"There was.." she disagreed, propping herself up on her elbows. "They let us live there..and didn't ask for anything in return. To just take off like that and not come back for a day or so..it wouldn't have been polite." Mwu sighed, reaching up to gently caress her cheek. "I'm sure they wouldn't have minded if we had. But if you want to thank them, it's okay by me. But how?"

Murrue thought for a moment, then brightened as an idea occured to her. "Why don't we return the favour? Not in the same way, but..why don't we let those two have a day to themselves if they want? Take care of the orphans for them?"

She had to try her hardest not to laugh as his scarred face fell. "Us? But I'm no good with kids!"

"You've been okay so far, haven't you?" she replied, the laugh finding it's way through her voice. "And it'll be good experience for you."

"Experience for what, exactly? For taking care of my own kids?" He grinned as his lover's pale cheeks instantly flushed crimson. She looked away and didn't answer, preferring to just settle back down in the bed, eyes closed again. She was still blushing though.

"So..when will you get your own back?" Mwu wanted to know, hands caressing her back. Murrue smiled, not bothering to open her eyes.

"When you're not expecting it. If I told you, it'd spoil the surprise.."

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( :sigh: Limeness.

I really shouldn't write things like this. Maybe I have too much doujinshi? Oh well.

Please read and review anyway...)


	135. Acceptance

Sometimes he tried to imagine. Imagine what it would be like if - no, _when_ - this war finally ended. That was what everyone wished for. The end of the war, and the chance to live in peace. But what would it really be like? For the kids on this ship, it would probably be business as usual, their old lives reasserting themselves after this brief stint of adult behaviour. But what if you really only knew how to be a soldier? What then?

Those thoughts kept him awake sometimes..and tonight was one of those times. He supposed that he shouldn't really worry about it, but he couldn't help wondering what he could do with his life if he survived past the end of this war. Just settle down and live a normal life? That sounded nice, but could it really happen?

Sighing, he leaned his head back in the pillow, sheets pulled up to his chest. The air in the room was cool on his bare arms, but he wasn't cold...because_ she_ was right beside him. With a small smile, Mwu tilted his head to the side to see her there. Murrue was fast asleep, tucked snugly into the crook of his arm, head on his shoulder. Her dark hair tickled him, but her warmth was intoxicating. He loved her being here, was happy that she'd chosen him. But it still worried him. If this war ended, what would the two of them do? They had come together during war..could they still be the same in peace? If he lived as a civilian in Orb, would she be with him?

_I've never mentioned it to her..she doesn't like to talk about 'after the war', and I can understand why. But I'm sure that, if this ever ends, and I asked her, that she would be with me. Would **want** to be with me._

But would _she_ be happy? To Mwu, his own answer was simple. He loved Murrue. More than he'd ever loved anyone before, and if he had a chance to be with her in peacetime, to learn more about her without the threat of war breathing down their necks, then he would grasp it wholeheartedly. But would _she_? He was a pilot, just like the one who died. Was she really all right being with him, with them being together?

_She still has nightmares about him. About the time she lost him. When she wakes up, she cries. I hate to hear her cry. To see it. But when I try to comfort her, she pushes me away._

That hurt terribly, to know that there were still some things he wasn't able to help her with, to comfort her about. After she stopped crying, she would turn back to him, snuggle back into his arms and hold him so close it felt as though she never wanted to let go.

_"I'm sorry.._" she'd whisper, tears still choking her voice. _"Thank you for being here, Mwu. I love you..."_

The nightmares happened less often now, showing that she was finally perhaps coming to terms with losing the one before. It made Mwu wonder though. If the same happened to him, would Murrue have nightmares about it?

_And if it doesn't..if we both survive...would we be all right? Would she be able to finally let go of **him**...accept me with all her heart?_

He turned to the side again, to watch her sleep. Murrue's beautiful face wore a soft smile..no nightmares this time. Mwu smiled back as he gazed at her. She was so many things to him..captain and friend, confidante and lover...he knew now that wherever she went, he wanted to be with her. But did she feel the same?

_It didn't take me very long to fall for you, did it? You stole my heart without me even realising..by doing nothing but being yourself. But it took you longer to accept the way you felt. I know that you love me..but will you always?_

Wondering why it was he felt so worried about it, Mwu leaned down and kissed the sleeping woman lightly on the cheek. The gentle movement caused Murrue to stir, and she awoke. "Hmmm?" she mumbled, reaching up to rub one amber eye. "Mwu? Why are you still awake, love? It's the middle of the night.."

"It's nothing.." he replied, reaching out a hand to brush dark hair from her face. "I just had a lot to think about, that's all..."

"Like what?" she asked sleepily, shifting to a more comfortable position. Mwu smiled, wrapping arms around her. "Just about what would happen if we weren't soldiers anymore. What would we do?"

Looking up, Murrue smiled, moving to brush a kiss against his lips. "I don't know..." she whispered. "But it would be fun to find out.."

He laughed quietly at that. "You're right, it would. And would we be happy like that? Together, I mean.."

She didn't answer for a moment, eyes closed, head nestled on his shoulder..he thought she'd fallen asleep again. But then she nuzzled closer, fingertips brushing his chest.

"Aren't we happy now?" she murmured, voice trailing off as she drifted back into sleep. Mwu looked down at her, surprised for a moment. But then he smiled.

_You're right. We are happy now. Even though it's the middle of war, we have our own peace..right here. With the way we both feel, I doubt that the end of the war would change anything. In fact..we might even become happier..._

Leaning down again, he pressed a kiss to her soft hair. "You're right, my love, we are..."

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( Lol seriousness and fluff. For once, he's the one to worry, and she to reassure. :smile:

Please read and review! )


	136. What It Means

The bright mid-morning sunlight streamed through the frosted glass of the bathroom window, the beams reflecting off the mirror and casting rainbow light on the woman who stood before it. She stood running a brush through thick auburn hair, having just removed the tangle of white flowers that had garlanded it since the previous night. These flowers now rested in a bowl of water, so they could be preserved as long as possible.

_I'm kinda tired still..._

Stretching her arms, Murrue set the brush back on the bathroom windowstill, and walked quietly back out into her bedroom. The room was bright, the morning light shining through thin curtains, and everything was quiet, despite it being close to afternoon...

A faint snore reached her ears from the small loft where the bed stood, and Murrue giggled, stifling the sound with one hand pressed to her mouth. Tiptoing up the wooden steps, she sat carefully on the side of the bed. He was still fast asleep, blonde hair trailing across scarred face, mouth open slightly. Reaching out, Murrue brushed aside his hair, fond smile on her face. Her gaze drifted down to his left hand, which wore a shining gold band on the third finger..just as hers did.

_It feels strange..to actually be married now. Even though we've been together for all this time, it feels as though **something** is different now, although I can't put my finger on 'what'..._

Standing up, the dark-haired woman picked up the white silky dress from where it had been thrown over the loft railing the night before. Smoothing down the garment, she carried it downstairs and hung it up to remove the creases. Idly rubbing the thick satin between her fingers, she thought about the previous day..the day she'd worn this.

_It's odd. That one dress could mean so much...that even though I'll never wear it again, it's the most important dress I'll ever own..._

Pushing her hair back over her shoulders, Murrue made her way downstairs, picking up the mail from the doormat. Another smile came to her lips at the realisation that she'd have to write people..to let them know she'd changed her name. At first, she hadn't been sure about it, giving up her own surname to take another's. But now..it didn't feel so bad. It was just another thing she and Mwu shared. It was...nice to think about, to wonder what else they'd be able to share now besides a life and a name.

Opening the overhead cupboards, the white-painted wood catching the light, she reached up to pluck the two mugs from the high shelf, thin fingers running over smooth ceramic. Murrue laughed a little at how ordinary it all was.

_But then again, are married couples meant to do things that are different from those who are just engaged? Or do things like this just reaffirm what's normal?_

Setting the kettle on to boil, she looked around the spacious kitchen, at the well-scrubbed wooden table, at the pair of wine glasses sitting in the sink, at the calendar that hung on the back of the door. Notes were written on it beside dates, like shift changes at work, dental appointments...

_Everyone's settled down so quickly..us more than anyone. It's like things have always been this way..._

Mwu had even marked off her birthday, which would be in a few days' time. He'd even drawn a heart around the date. She'd told him more than once that she didn't want a gift, didn't want a fuss making. Just to be with him like this was enough. He'd even bought her a gift for their wedding, the pale pink satin robe she wore. It was beautiful, certainly, and it made her happy. But she wasn't used to being treated this way..as though she was special.

Turning her attention to the coffee, she hummed a soft tune as she poured the boiling water into the mugs...only to jump as she turned around to see him standing there.

"Good morning.." she said once she'd recovered her breath, trying not to smile at his half-asleep grin. "Morning.." he mumbled, wandering over to take a slug of the hot drink that waited for him. Afterwards, he wrapped his arms around her, placing kisses on her cheek. "You're up early.." he said after a while, blue eyes closed. Murrue sighed, reaching up to brush aside his hair. "Not really. It's almost midday, you know.."

Mwu whined at that. "It is? But it still feels early.."

"Maybe it's because we were up so late?" she suggested, leading him to where they could both sit down at the table. "It must have been at least three in the morning before we got to sleep..."

"That's true," he admitted, taking another drink of his coffee. "The party lasted till midnight or something, then we just talked for hours when we got home."

"Talking wasn't all we did," Murrue pointed out, cheeks pinking. "Was it?" Her new husband laughed at that, reaching out across the table to squeeze her hand. "Maybe not. But _you_ tell _me_. What else are couples _meant_ to do on their wedding night?"

Her blush deepened, and she shrugged. "I don't know..." Looking down at her lap, she sighed, then met his gaze again, amber eyes troubled. "Mwu..does this feel...different, to you? Being married?"

He looked surprised for a moment, then smiled. "Not really. But is it meant to? Not that much has changed.."

Murrue turned to look out of the kitchen window. "I know. But I can't help wondering if it's all still going to be the same. Isn't marriage meant to symbolise that a couple has settled down? Become more responsible..grown-up?"

"Who said that?" asked Mwu, laughter in his voice. "As far as I'm concerned, it's not a 'symbol', or anything like that. It just means that two people want to spend the rest of their lives together. Share everything."

She smiled a little at that. "That sounds nice..."

"And," he continued, pulling her across so she was sitting on his lap, "now I have family. And so do you. That alone makes this worth it, don't you think?"

Murrue nodded, closing dark eyes as she rested her head on his shoulder. "I hadn't thought of that, but you're right. So, do you think we'll like being married?"

Mwu leaned down to plant a loving kiss on his new wife's lips, arms wrapping more securely around her.

"I like it already.."

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( This was nothing more than random fluff. But I did promise onee-chan a nice fluffy story as an apology for not being able to talk to her today...and this is it!

Please read and review! )


	137. Hero

"Do you like being a pilot?"

The question sounded innocent enough, but there was some underlying worry to her tone. Turning from the desk where he was finishing up his work, he raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Murrue sighed, tugging down the hem of the T-shirt she wore. "Well, you're a famous pilot, right? An ace. Everyone knows it..has heard stories about it. But do you like it?" Mwu laughed softly. "You know..I've never thought about it quite like that before. I pilot because I can, because it's what I'm good at. But I never stopped to think about whether I _liked_ doing it or not." His expression grew thoughtful. "I guess that I do though. I like the feeling of being able to make a difference." He smiled, reaching out from where he sat to brush the back of his hand against Murrue's pale cheek. "Of being able to protect someone.."

She smiled a little, but the expression was a sad one. Mwu frowned, and moved from the desk chair to sit on the bed beside her. "What's wrong?" he asked gently, wrapping an arm around her slender shoulders. Her amber eyes were trained on the floor, and she didn't respond to his embrace.

"I hoped you wouldn't.." she said, so quietly he barely heard her. "Like it, I mean. It's the same for everyone. The better you are at what you do, and the more confidence you have in yourself, the more risks you end up taking." He grinned at that.

"That's true. But sometimes it doesn't matter whether you _like_ what you do, does it? I mean, you don't like being captain, but you take more risks than anyone else, even me."

Murrue shook her head. "It's not the same. I have the rest of the crew to look out for, to keep safe. But you...you put yourself in harm's way all the time, even when you don't have to..." She half-turned towards him, face set and serious. "Tell me," she said, "if this ship was in danger - if _I_ was in danger, what would you do?"

He smiled happily, proudly..". "I'd come to help you!"

Murrue looked away, eyes full of pain. "That's what I thought. You'd be a hero." Mwu raised his eyebrows at the bitterness in her soft voice. "Hey now.." he said cautiously. "What's the matter, really? You aren't usually like this..."

She still wouldn't look at him. "It's nothing. It's just that..unless they're lucky..._very_ lucky, heroes are often posthumous..and I.."

Mwu sighed, pulling her into his arms to try and comfort her. "And you don't think I've been lucky so far?"

"That's just it. You have.." she replied. "But everyone's luck runs out sooner or later.."

"You're scared, aren't you?" he asked, placing a kiss on her cheek. "Scared that I'll take too many risks..and not come back?"

"Do you blame me?" was all she said.

He didn't answer, just stayed as he was, holding her tightly. He knew that him being a pilot worried her, and that she would most likely blame herself if anything happened to him. But what else could he do?

"I don't want a hero.." she muttered. "Just you." Mwu smiled again, understanding her words. "So if I was a hero, and still here with you, you wouldn't be proud of me?"

Murrue smiled at that. "Of course I would..." Turning a little, she looked up at him. "Very proud." Her amber eyes softened as she moved up in his embrace to kiss him softly. "But you don't need to prove yourself any more than you have already. What if you're already a hero to me?"

"Oh?" he replied, blue eyes twinkling. "Am I?" Murrue didn't reply, just smiled again, cheeks flushed pale pink. With a sigh, she snuggled up close to him again, closing her eyes.

"If I did protect you..and something happened to me, would you be angry?" he asked after a moment, breathing in the scent from her hair. He felt her tense, and she nodded. "Because.." she murmured, "I don't want someone I love giving their life up for me.." Her hands moved up to cover his, fingers entwining together. "Even if there was no other choice..even if they did it because they loved me..."

"Why not, if it was their choice?" Mwu asked, pressing a kiss to her bare shoulder.

"Because...more than anything, I want that person to be here with me. To want to stay with me because they loved me. That would mean far more than anything they did in battle."

Mwu turned her gently in his arms so she was facing him. "But what if you were in danger? What if I lost you because I couldn't protect you? What would I do then? I'm sorry, Murrue. But if that happens, I don't care _how_ mad you get. It's nothing to do with wanting to be a hero..that doesn't interest me. If you're in danger..if you could be killed, then I'll do whatever I can to keep you safe.."

Murrue frowned. "That's what _he_ said..that he'd keep me safe. He did..but it cost him his life. And I couldn't stop thinking that...I was the one who got him killed. Because he wanted to protect me, he never thought about the danger to himself. It was my fault.."

"That isn't true," Mwu replied, "and you know it. Even if you'd told him not to, he'd still have done it, I'll bet. Just like I would."

"And if I lose you, like I lost him..what am _I _supposed to do?" she asked, tears brimming in her eyes. "Just accept it, carry on? Be brave?"

He couldn't answer her, was only able to pull her against him in a comforting hug as she cried, her tears soaking into his T-shirt. He couldn't answer her...because he didn't know what to say. If he did die..if he saved her life at the cost of his own, it would make him happy, because he'd be able to protect the one he loved so much. But she wouldn't thank him for it. Murrue knew all too well how it felt to be the one left behind..the pain of being alone. She'd been so lonely..how could he do that to her again?

"It might never happen.." he whispered, trying to reassure her. "What we're so worried about..might never happen. And if by some chance, it does, then I'll do my very best to keep you safe..but also keep _myself_ safe. It's a promise, okay?"

It was all he could say.

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( Hm. More serious and angsty than I intended, but I think it came out okay. It was inspired, like my earlier fic 'Debt', by Murrue-san's conversation with Kira in phase 31 of Destiny. The things she said..that everyone wanted to protect what was precious to them, but that sometimes people did it the wrong way..it sounds like she doesn't exactly thank Mwu for giving up his life to save her..because all she wanted was to be with him.

'_You see, I think that you can love the world because there's someone out there who's precious to you. I'm sure it's the same for everyone, why they try so hard. Isn't that why we fight?_

_But sometimes, there are people who do it the wrong way, who think the wrong way...when all you wanted in life was for that one person to be there for you...'_

You really get the idea then..of how lonely she must have been after he sacrificed himself. She didn't want a hero..she just wanted **him**.

Please read and review! )


	138. Adult Relationships

"So..how's your mobile suit?"

"It needs a bit more adjusting, but otherwise it handles perfectly. I guess...that Father knew what he was doing when he had it built. I just wish his intentions had been more..."

"You can't keep dwelling on it, Athrun. Whatever Freedom and Justice were originally built to do, now we can use them to save instead of destroy. Isn't that worth something?"

The young man sighed, running a hand through navy hair. "You're right. I just wish the circumstances had been different, that's all." Rounding the corner to turn into another of _Archangel_'s corridors, Athrun stopped suddenly, putting an arm out to hold Kira back. His friend looked at him, confused. "What is it?"

In reply, Athrun held a finger to his lips. "Listen.." he whispered.

"Will you get _off_?" A woman's voice rang through the hallway, loud with indignation. A moment later it was joined by merry laughter. "But why?" replied a man's voice. Kira gasped. "Murrue-san...Mwu-san.." he whispered, risking a peek around the corner, joined by his friend.

_Archangel_'s captain stood a little way down the corridor, faced away from her companion. Her arms were folded, and her pale face wore a stern expression. In contrast, the blonde man with her was grinning mischievously. He moved around, trying to turn the woman around so she was facing him, but she kept pushing him away. "Leave me alone!" she snapped, amber eyes flashing dangerously. Mwu pretended to pout, shoulders slumped in a put-on display of disappointment. "Awww...is that really what you want?" he asked, voice close to a whine. Murrue nodded, not turning around. "That's right."

The man sighed, and made as if to turn away, then, so quickly that the dark-haired woman had no chance to escape, wrapped his arms around her from behind, hugging her tightly. Murrue blushed fiercely as Mwu nuzzled his face into her hair. "Hey!" she protested, trying to untangle herself from his embrace.

Kira and Athrun watched this exchange in amazement, not really sure what was going on.

Unable to escape from his hug, Murrue instead settled for turning her head to glare at Mwu. The man pouted again. "How come you're being so mean today?" he asked petulantly."Don't you love me anymore?"

Murrue looked away. "No." she huffed, attitude regal. Mwu chuckled, seemingly undeterred, and turned her around in his arms to face him. "Yes, you do." he informed her, running a thumb across her lips. She just sighed, hands reaching up to try and push him away. "Why are you always like this?" she asked, resignation in her voice. He just shrugged. "It's just the way I am. Are you okay with that?"

Murrue raised an eyebrow. "Do I have a choice?" Mwu grinned, hugging her even tighter. "Nope."

Kira and Athrun still stood watching, unseen by the couple. The navy-haired boy smiled. "So..she's only pretending to be mad, huh?" Kira nodded, a smile on his own face. "Yeah..Murrue-san's happy really.." he muttered back. The captain's hands were still splayed out as if to push Mwu away, but her fingers were busily working to straighten out the blonde pilot's collar, the intimacy of this gesture not lost on the two teenagers.

Reaching up, Murrue skimmed her fingertips across Mwu's cheek, then through his hair. "Why do I put up with you?" she asked softly. He just smiled, tilting his head into her hand. "Because you love me?" he asked hopefully, and she laughed quietly, shaking her head. "There you go again;" she scolded. "I told you that I didn't..."

This time, Mwu was the one to shake their head, one hand reaching out to caress the back of Murrue's neck, under her dark hair. "But you do, don't you?" he asked gently, as her eyes closed. She laid her head on his shoulder, cheeks flushed pale pink. "Well?" he pressed, and she sighed, her own arms wrapping around him. "Yes.." she admitted.

"I thought so.." replied Mwu, tilting the woman's chin upwards to kiss her softly. She made a little sound of muffled surprise, then relaxed into the kiss, hands sliding upwards to rest on his shoulders.

Kira smiled again, delighted. Athrun chuckled. "They mean a lot to you, don't they?" His friend nodded. "They're both such good people, and they deserve to be happy."

"Is it allowed, though?" Athrun asked. "When did it all start?"

"Well, since we've left the Alliance now, I suppose that it _is_ allowed." replied Kira thoughtfully. "And I think it started when we got back to Orb, or at least, that's what the rumours say. But as for the other questions..like 'how' and 'why'..only they know the answers.."

Murrue pulled away a little to look up into Mwu's blue eyes. "And what about you?" she wanted to know, impish smile on her pretty face. "How do _you_ feel?" He laughed, leaning forward so their foreheads touched, lips inches apart. "Me? Why ask? Haven't I always told you I love you?"

Her smile grew, and she gave him a quick kiss. "Yes.." she said, laughter in her voice. "You have.."

And the two boys tiptoed away, thinking about what they had just witnessed between the two older people. Oddly, even though theirs was clearly an adult relationship, to Kira and Athrun, it had seemed more like the childish flirting normally seen amongst people their own age...

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( There we go. I went for 'maximum fluff' this time, and I hope it's okay. I just thought it might be cute.

Please read and review! )


	139. Thoughts and Actions

( Okay. This is sort of an expansion to my older fic 'Yoru', or 'Night'. It's nothing bad, honest, and I've tried to write it without slipping too far into citrus territory. I hope it's all right.. )

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She was watching him sleep. The thin sheets were pulled up around her as she lay on her side, amber eyes focused on him. He was smiling in his sleep, thick blonde hair hopelessly rumpled, and she couldn't help smiling back, thin fingers reaching out to brush some of the hair from his face. Earlier that night..he'd asked her to stay with him. She'd known what that meant..could have easily said 'no'..but she hadn't wanted to. Ever since their first kiss, they had steadily grown closer and closer, and deep down, she'd always known that this could happen.

_I'm still not sure if this was the right thing to do..but it **felt** right. I do love him..and have for longer than I'd like to admit. And I was happy..._

They'd both been nervous at first..which made Murrue smile at the recollection. She'd been shy, certainly, but she hadn't expected Mwu to be. Even though he'd been the one to ask, he'd still been reluctant to make the first move. His nervousness had been unexpected, but rather endearing at the same time, and she'd reached out to remove his jacket, planting a soft kiss on his cheek.

"_There now.."_ she'd whispered, _"we're even.."_

That had broken the ice, and they'd both laughed at how silly they were being. Things had moved swiftly after that, except for the moment Mwu had attempted to remove his uniform trousers, and got one leg stuck. Murrue hadn't been able to keep herself from laughing, which he'd got rather cross about. "_What's so funny?"_ he'd demanded, finally removing the offending item of clothing, and hopping back onto the bed. A wicked grin on his face, he'd tickled her until she was breathless, laughing himself at her hitched giggles. They'd ended up staring into each other's eyes, her cheeks flushed red with laughter..and he'd kissed her. It was as if they'd been waiting for that moment, and it had seemed to last forever, her arms wrapped around him, his hands wound in her hair as the kiss wore on. Afterwards he'd smiled, leaning down to gently kiss the puckered scar of the bullet wound on her shoulder.

"_You're so beautiful..._" he'd whispered tenderly, which had made her heart race, and caused her to blush. Even though he'd told her that more than once..here now, at this time, it seemed more special. Like it meant more, somehow.

After that...Murrue smiled to herself, closing her eyes. The actual memories were fragmentary, a confusing jumble of images and feelings. She remembered the coolness of the sheets against her bare skin..of his skin being slick with sweat. She remembered looking up into his blue eyes, and seeing the love there, brushing damp golden hair from his face. There had been the kisses, and the warmth, and the feel of his hair in her fingers. But most of all, there had been the feelings, the sensations. They'd been so intense, she hadn't been able to do anything but hold onto him, barely able to catch her breath..until what she was feeling had finally grown too much to bear, and she'd cried out quietly. He'd cried out at the same time, she remembered dimly, his head resting on her shoulder, struggling to catch his breath. She'd smiled up at him, stroking his face gently until he smiled back, their lips meeting in a soft kiss. They hadn't been able to say anything..there wasn't much they _needed_ to say. Actions had spoken louder than words, after all...

All this ran through Murrue's mind as she gazed at him, bringing a small smile to her face. It hadn't been how she'd expected...his care and gentleness had surprised her somewhat. But it had made her happy, happier than she remembered being in a long time.

_I wonder..what will happen now?_

Leaning forward, she placed a light kiss on his cheek, which caused Mwu to stir. "Mmm?" he mumbled, rubbing blue eyes sleepily. He looked around for a moment until his gaze lit on her, and a slow smile spread across his face as he remembered the last few hours. "Hey there.." he said softly, reaching out to place a hand on her cheek. "You okay?" he asked. "How come you're awake?"

"No reason," she replied, snuggling into the pillows. "I just woke up..I was thinking." His smile faded a little. "And? You're okay with this, aren't you? Not regretting it?"

Murrue giggled at that, shaking her head. "If I regretted it, I wouldn't still be here, would I?"

"That's true.." he mused. "Thank you, though. For staying here, for..well.." He smiled lopsidedly. "You know.." She laughed again, moving closer to him. "You're welcome.." she whispered, tucking her head into the hollow of his shoulder.

"It'll be okay, you know?" he said, surprising her a little. "All of it. As long as we're both here, I'll be here for you, Murrue.."

She looked up at him at that, eyebrows dipped in a small frown. He only smiled again. "Aren't we a bit beyond formality now?"

_That's true.._she thought as she nestled back beside him again. _We've crossed a line we can't step back from. But..that's alright._

Her lips curved into a smile as she felt his arms wrap tightly around her, her head resting on his chest. His warmth, and the sound of his heartbeat, were lulling her to sleep. She felt deliciously comfortable, safe, and loved. What more did she need?

_The war isn't here. Outside, they can fight as much as they want. But here..there's peace._

"I love you.." she murmured drowsily, smile growing as she felt Mwu kiss the top of her head. "I love you too.." was the last thing she heard before falling asleep, her dreams promising to be happy ones.

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( Look! It's not smutty! Not lime! Okay, maybe it's satsuma (if that makes sense) but it's not lime.

Please read and review, okay:D )


	140. Grown Up

"So..how have you and Kira-kun been doing?"

Lacus smiled, setting out the plates and plastic cups on the checkered blanket, ready for their picnic. "We've been doing very well.." she said softly, handing a cup of juice to her older friend. "It's strange..getting used to the idea of being married, though." She looked up at Murrue, amusement in blue eyes. "Was it like that for you? I can't imagine it taking you and Fllaga-san so long to get used to that..the way you were, it was like you'd been married for years..."

Murrue flushed, focusing her attention on the juice, which made the young girl laugh. She reached out to tickle the cheek of Murrue's sleeping daughter, her gaze softening as the baby babbled quietly. "I'd like a child of my own the most. Kira knows, but.." She sighed. "Coordinators..us...have been modified so much, it's difficult for us to have children. But I.." She looked up when Murrue placed a hand gently on her shoulder. "It's okay," the older woman replied, "I'm sure you'll be all right..."

The evening sunlight shone low on the park, the laughter of the young people there ringing through the still air. Meyrin was sitting on the roundabout with Kira and Athrun, her giggles pleasant to hear. Murrue smiled. "Meyrin-chan's settled here nicely, hasn't she? And she and Athrun-kun seem very happy. I must admit, I wasn't expecting those two to marry so quickly. She's only just eighteen, isn't she?"

Lacus nodded. "She's grown-up, but also still a child." A smile crept onto her pretty face as she pointed. "And she's not the only one.."

Murrue sighed, running a thin hand through auburn hair as she watched Mwu. He was on the playground's swing bars, an expression of absolute boyish concentration on scarred face as he swung from one bar to the other. He'd been trying this ever since they had all arrived at the park at least half-an-hour earlier, but was still only able to get halfway across.

The dark-haired woman watched with a sort of fascinated shock as her husband's hand slipped, and he fell to the hard-packed ground with a crash. Face in hands, she shook her head.

_Sometimes I wonder...what exactly it was I saw in him. I do love him, certainly..but he can be such a child. I still wonder why, when I think about it, that he was the one I fell for.._

"Are you all right?" she called, cupping her hands around her mouth, hearing Lacus-san giggling beside her. Mwu didn't answer right away, and for a moment, Murrue was worried he'd hurt himself. Then she heard laughter. He sat up, rubbing the back of his head, and gazing up at the bars which had been his downfall. Then he turned to look over at her, and grinned, that irresistible smile that could always melt her heart. Murrue smiled back, cheeks pink. Even though it had been almost two years since they were married, he could still make her feel that way. Perhaps that was the reason she loved him so much? Despite his sometimes childish behaviour?

Crossing the playground, Mwu came back to sit on the blanket, picking up a sandwich. "So, what did you think? Did I look cool?"

His wife raised one eyebrow. "Oh yes. Especially when you fell," she replied, sarcastic tone to soft voice. Mwu pretended to scowl. "Is that right? Okay then, princess, let me see if _you_ can do any better.." Carefully lifting the sleeping Stellar from her mother's arms, he gestured in the direction of the bars. He'd expected Murrue to frown..to tell him not to be silly. But instead she smiled impishly, amber eyes twinkling. Getting to her feet, she ran across to the bars.

Mwu watched amazed as Murrue swung easily across from one bar to the other, a small smile of pure delight on her pretty face. For one who usually scolded him for his behaviour, she was the one being childish? It was so rare to see her like this, he couldn't help grinning happily. Kira, Athrun and Meyrin had all stopped to watch their former superior, faces displaying various expressions of surprise.

At the end of the bars, Murrue jumped down, landing with feet together, and looked up as she heard applause from her spectators. Blushing a vivid red, she scuttled back to where her husband waited, embarrassed. He wrapped an arm around her, kissing her cheek fondly. "That was awesome. Can you teach me how to do that?"

She didn't say anything, gaze focused on her lap. But she did nod.

The three young people on the roundabout stopped their play, walking back to where the picnic waited. Meyrin slipped her hand shyly into Athrun's, blushing when he smiled at her.

"She's so innocent still.." mused Murrue, looking up from where she was feeding Stellar. "I wonder if she'll always be that way? Part of me hopes so.."

"I think that she will.." replied Lacus. "After all, in every adult, no matter how grown-up they behave, there's still a child. It's just that...the child is a little more active in some people than it is in others.."

"Oh, I know.." said Murrue, smiling gently at her husband. Mwu simply grinned.

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( waffle waffle waffle...

Please read and review! )


	141. Akatsuki

The hangar lights reflected off the golden suit, the effect almost too dazzling to look at. But Murrue simply smiled, gazing up at the suit with affection and something very like gratitude. This suit..Akatsuki..had saved so many people. It had saved Archangel, Eternal...and it had saved her. In more ways than one. Reaching out, she placed one hand on the cool metal surface of the suit. She'd been so scared..at that point when Akatsuki deflected Minerva's positron cannon, she'd been sure that she would lose him not once, but twice.

_But I didn't, did I? You kept him safe..and you gave him back to me._ She rested her head against the suit. _Thank you.  
_Looking up at Akatsuki, Murrue smiled again as she remembered the previous few weeks, when he would almost always be here working on the suit, checking response times, tweaking the OS, anything that would improve the way he piloted. She'd asked him about that once, and Mwu, or Neo, as he'd been then, had replied with a smile.  
_"Well, it's because I want to be able to use this suit in the best way possible. It's a hell of a machine, and was obviously very well looked after. And since the Representative let me use it, I'd really like to fight with it in a way that it's real owner would be proud of. So I work on it as much as I can..to get the most out of it.."_

That part of him hadn't changed, she mused, sitting down and leaning against the golden MS. But now that she thought about it, for all their similarities, Neo and Mwu had been different. Not so much that you couldn't tell they were the same person inside, but...it was little things. Neo had had Mwu's sincerity and kindness, his courage and honesty..they'd all been there below the surface, and had broken through when Neo had become part of Archangel's crew. Murrue often wondered if he'd been like that with the Alliance, or had kept his true self hidden, like his face, behind a mask.  
She remembered finding him asleep in Akatsuki's cockpit once. It had been very late at night, and she hadn't known where he was.

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Making her way into the hangar, she floated up to where the golden suit stood, smiling fondly as she saw him. He was fast asleep, large body slumped over the diagnostic board, scarred face peaceful and innocent.  
Murrue carefully brushed the long blonde hair from his eyes, studying the man as he slept. She knew, deep down in her heart, that this man was her Mwu, the one she had never been quite able to stop loving. But something about him was different. This man - the Colonel, didn't have the same childish exuberance as her Mwu, or if he did, he didn't show it. Instead, he was calmer, gentler. And very polite. It was just that one aspect that was slightly different, but it was nice. Murrue knew that if she had a choice, she would choose her larger-than-life, over-enthusiastic Mwu, after all, he was the one she had fallen for. But this person...She reached out again and stroked his hair. If he never remembered..never returned to the way he used to be..perhaps it wouldn't be so bad.

_Even if you weren't my Mwu..I could very easily love you._

_  
_The movement of her hand through his hair caused the man to stir, and he looked up at her with a soft smile, affection shining in his bright blue eyes. "Hi.." he mumbled, sitting up and rubbing his face. "How come you're here?"  
Murrue wasn't sure how to answer that one, instead choosing to stare into the foam coffee cups she carried, a faint flush to her cheeks. "I - I was just wondering where you were, that's all. And you've been working so hard the last few days..." Still not looking up, she handed him one of the coffee cups. "I thought that you might like a break"  
"Thank you.." he replied with another smile, taking the cup. "So here, a captain brings drinks for her subordinates?"  
She glanced up at that, noting the teasing twinkle in his eyes. "Not a subordinate," she pointed out, laughter in her voice. "A friend"  
His smile widened at that, and together, they sat there on Akatsuki, talking quietly for a while. No-one was there to see them that late at night, and they enjoyed this chance to be with each other.  
"Shouldn't you go and get some sleep now?" he asked, grinning as she stifled a yawn. "It's okay, I still have some things to finish up here"  
She sighed, setting her cup down and stretching. "You're right. But don't stay here too long. You can always finish that tomorrow"  
The Colonel nodded, saluting. "Aye-aye, captain." Leaning forward, he kissed her gently on the cheek, laughing as she blushed fiercely. "Goodnight"  
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"What are you dreaming about?"  
Murrue opened amber eyes to find blue ones staring at her from a distance of about three inches away. Jumping, she smiled when she saw who it was. "Nothing." she assured him, taking his offered hand and getting to her feet. "I was just...thanking Akatsuki"  
"Thanking it?" Mwu asked, clearly confused. "What for?"  
She smiled, lifting his hand that still held hers to her lips and kissing it softly. "Because it kept you safe. And helped you remember who you are"  
He grinned, reaching out to pat the leg of the golden MS. "You're right. And I was able to do so much more with it, too. I guess I owe the little missy one, huh?"  
Murrue nodded, standing on her tiptoes to kiss him. "We both do.."

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( All that stuff that happened, like him being able to protect both his own ship and others, to help take out Requiem, getting his memories back...none of that would have been possible without Akatsuki, right?  
Please read and review! )


	142. Overcast

The sound of hammering echoed across the silent beach. The waves crashed upon the sand, the normally blue water turned grey by the overcast day. Mist rolled in from the sea, making the small wooden house appear almost ghostly. The hammering sound ceased, the man causing the sound turning to stare out across the ocean, blue eyes confused.  
"I thought this place was always hot and sunny?" he mused. The younger man beside him smiled. "Normally, it is. But it gets like this every so often.."

Lacus peeked out of the open door with a tray containing bowls of hot soup, with bread to dip into it. "Would either of you like some lunch?" she asked softly, setting the tray down on the porch and adjusting the shawl that was wrapped around her shoulders. Kira gratefully accepted a bowl, but Mwu shook his head. "Not hungry right now. But thanks anyway. I should get this finished." Bending down to retrieve the hammer, he made as if to start work on the small house's rickety window frames. But then he frowned.  
"Have either of you seen Murrue today? She left here earlier..said she wouldn't be long"  
Kira nodded. "Murrue-san went up to the old house..the one she lived in with Bartfeld-san." His older friend looked puzzled. "How come? Isn't that place in ruins now or something?"  
Lacus perched on the edge of the porch and leaned against Kira, who slipped an arm around her shoulders. "Yeah. It got destroyed when a team of assassins came to kill Lacus. Murrue-san and Bartfeld-san fought a lot of them off by themselves until they attacked with mobile suits"  
"But why is she up there now? Is she looking for something?"

Kira shrugged. "I don't know. I thought she'd already found what she was looking for. The day after the attack, she was digging through the rubble until her hands were almost raw, searching for those two hats...the EA ones, yours and hers"  
Mwu smiled softly, then frowned again as he remembered something. "What about her locket? Was that there too"  
"I don't know.." replied Kira. "After the war..I don't remember seeing her wear it. I don't know what happened to it..."

The cliff was a mess of rubble and ash, building material mixed with boulders dislodged from the cliff face by the violent attack. Picking his way through the fallen masonry, Mwu noticed her standing there near the edge of the precipice. Her slender figure was silhouetted against the grey sky, dark hair blowing in the wind.  
"So, is this where you lived?" he asked quietly, not wanting to scare her. Murrue turned around, surprised, then smiled. "Yes. For almost two years." She made her way down the slope to where he stood, pulling her thin cardigan further around herself for warmth. Taking her into his arms, Mwu hugged her close. The combination of his scent, and the warmth of the thick wool sweater he wore made her smile again, and she snuggled into his embrace.

"It looks like it was a nice place to live.." he said, looking around and trying to imagine what the house must have been like before. She nodded, amber eyes focused on him. "It was.." she agreed.  
"So how come you're here?" he asked, scarred face confused. "Were you looking for something you left behind"  
Murrue shook her head, closing her eyes and nestling her head on his shoulder. "No, I already got everything that was important to me"  
"Like those hats?" Mwu remarked idly, although he was grinning. She blushed at that. "W-well...they were all I had"  
She opened her eyes again, taking in her surroundings. "I was here..to say goodbye. To this house..to this life.." Clearly embarrassed, she buried her face in his sweater again. Mwu laughed, leaning down to kiss her cheek. "I understand"  
Finding a place that wasn't too badly damaged, the two of them sat on a chunk of masonry.  
"I suppose...that it could be rebuilt.." she said thoughtfully as she stared around them. "But I wouldn't want to live here again if it was. The memories are too sad.." Her soft voice was almost a whisper, and he hugged her tighter.  
"I want.." she continued, "to live somewhere else...where the memories are all happy ones"  
They sat there quietly for a while, her head tucked into the crook of his neck, until suddenly, he spoke up.

"Where's your locket? The one that you always wore? The kid says no-one's seen you wear it since the last war ended..." He looked around at the rubble. "Was it here?"  
"No.." she replied, a small smile on her face. "It's still safe. I kept it in a box..on the Archangel"  
"But you don't wear it?"  
Murrue placed a hand to her chest, expression now troubled. "I...couldn't. I did try, but it didn't feel right, somehow. Not anymore. I couldn't wear it, but I couldn't throw it away, either. Every time I wore it, instead of being reminded of him..I was reminded of you. Of how much I missed you. It..hurt too much..." She pointed out to sea. "This house..used to have a balcony, and I would stand there at night and look up at the stars.." She hugged him. "And wonder if you could see me...if you were watching me..."  
"I'm sorry.." Mwu muttered, kissing the top of her head. "I made you so sad"  
Standing up, and helping her to her feet, he smiled a little, gesturing around himself. "One day soon, we can find our own place to live...and fill it with happy memories. Does that sound okay?"  
Murrue smiled, and this time, her smile was one of happiness. "That sounds wonderful.." Standing on her tiptoes, she pressed a soft kiss to his lips, her smile growing when he returned the kiss immediately, his arms wrapping firmly around her.

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( Don't ask me where this one came from...cos I don't know.  
Please read and review! )


	143. Swept Away

"Mom? How did you meet Dad?"

Murrue turned around from the kitchen counter to look at her eldest daughter. Stellar was perched on the edge of the table, mixing ingredients for their dinner. The bowl she held rested on her lap, but her attention was keenly focused on her mother. Murrue smiled, and set down the bowl of pasta. "What brought that on all of a sudden?" she asked, leaning against the counter. Stellar put down her bowl, smoothing out the school uniform she still wore. "Well...I always wondered. 'Cause you and Dad seem so different sometimes, then other times you're the same, and..." She grinned, running a hand through her dark hair. "It sounds weird, I know. But I guess I was just curious"

"Well.." said Murrue, moving across to sit at the table, "your dad and I kind of met by accident.." Stellar raised an eyebrow. "By accident?" The odd confession drew Lily's attention too, and the ten-year-old came to sit beside her mother, glass of juice in hand. The woman nodded, glancing out of the window to see her husband there in the garden. Mwu was frying burgers and kebabs on the barbecue, being helped by Alex. The six-year-old boy's help consisted of fetching plates, but he was happy at the thought that his job was important.

"Your dad and I...were soldiers. He found our ship when he got shot down, and ended up staying with us when he had nowhere else to go." she said quietly, still watching the man outside. Stellar wrinkled her nose. "That's not very romantic"  
"No," Murrue admitted with a smile, "it wasn't. And at first, he really got on my nerves." Lily giggled. "Really?"  
"Yep, really. But.." the woman continued, smile softening, and a faint tinge of rose appearing on her cheeks, "he was always there to help me when I needed it..and he always looked out for me..."  
Stellar smiled. "So when did you realise that you loved him?" The fifteen-year-old was at the age where she was fascinated by romance, and she loved to hear stories about her parents when they were younger. Murrue grinned. "I tried to work that out myself, but I never could. It happened so gradually, I never noticed it until it was too late"

During this, Mwu had silently approached the house, leaning against the open doorway with Alex held in his arms. Stellar leaned on the table. "So..when did you realise?"  
"When he was transferred off our ship. It hurt so much that I cried.." said her mother softly, staring at the table. Setting Alex down, Mwu pulled out the chair beside his wife and slipped an arm around her. "But I did come back, didn't I? 'Cause I felt the same way.." Leaning down, he kissed her cheek gently, causing her to blush again.

"There was a time..when we got separated, and we couldn't see each other for two years. The reasons are..complicated, but let's just say that it was my own fault." said Mwu, a small smile on his face as Murrue leaned her head against his shoulder. "But your mom waited for me until I got back"  
"And then you got married?" asked Stellar, blue eyes twinkling. Mwu laughed. "Not right away.." he said. "But after we'd lived together for a while, we decided to. Besides, I'd always tried to imagine your mom in a wedding dress"  
"You had?" Murrue lifted her head from his shoulder to look at him. "I never knew that.."  
"Sure I did," he said cheerfully. "But the reality turned out to be _way_ better than anything I imagined.." His wife blushed fiercely at that, and hit him lightly on the shoulder. Lily giggled, hopping off her chair and moving around to climb into her mother's lap. "Do you still have your wedding dress, Mama?"  
"Yes," replied Murrue in confusion. "It's in a trunk in the attic..." Her younger daughter beamed happily. "Can I wear it when I marry Siegel?"  
Mwu raised an eyebrow. "Marry Siegel? When did you decide that?" The little girl smiled, kicking her legs as she took a sip of her juice. "He asked me the other day if I'd marry him when we grew up." She held out her little finger. "Pinky promise!"  
Murrue laughed at Mwu's outraged expression. "Well, that is why I kept the dress. So that you and your sister could wear it if you wanted to get married..."

The little family sat outside at the picnic table, the garden lit by the soft white glow of lanterns. Moths fluttered around the lamps, their winged forms casting shadows on the table. After she had finished eating, Stellar smiled up at her father. "So, what about you, Dad? We've heard Mom's side of the story, but what about you? How did you fall for Mom?"  
Mwu blinked in surprise at the sudden question, then grinned. "Well, the first thing I noticed when I met her was how beautiful she was, and still is. But really, it was a gradual thing for me too. We were friends at first, then we got closer. I found out how I felt about the same time she did.." he replied softly, squeezing Murrue's hand. Stellar smiled in delight. "That's so romantic!"  
"Not really," he admitted with a laugh. "I still annoyed her a little, I think. But we were happy enough"

"I hope I can meet someone nice one day.." said the teenager quietly, dreamy smile on her face. Lily raised an eyebrow. "You already have boys fighting to walk you home from school. Why don't you pick one?"  
During this conversation, little Alex had climbed into his mother's lap, amber eyes drowsy. The small boy didn't talk very much, perhaps being outdone by his older sisters. But everyone noticed him regardless, with his mother's eyes, and thick dark copper curls framing his face. Murrue smiled as her son cuddled up to her, placing a kiss on his curly head. "You tired, sweetie?" she whispered, wrapping her arms around the little boy as he nodded sleepily.

"How come she's so interested in how we got together?" Murrue smiled as she poured herself another glass of wine before snuggling back up beside her husband. "Because she's growing up, honey. Maybe she's dreaming of a day when someone will come along and sweep her off her feet?" Mwu scowled at that. "No-one's doing any sweeping until she's old enough"  
"There you go again," she scolded. "She won't be a child for much longer..you can't hold on forever.."  
"I know.." he sighed, leaning back against the sofa. "But still..." He looked down as his wife laid her head on his shoulder, auburn hair tickling his neck. "So, what about you? Did I sweep you off your feet?"  
"Not so much..." she answered with a grin. "But you came close.."

"Good." was all he said, reaching to tilt her chin and capture her lips in a kiss.  
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( Lol. XD.  
Please read and review! )


	144. Second Time Around

( I wondered, you know. People often mention that 'history repeats itself', right? In these kinds of fics, it usually refers to the fact that Murrue-san loved someone and lost them, and that the same happened to her again. But..it repeats itself in another way too. Both in Seed, and in Destiny, Murrue-san is the one to teach Mwu (or Neo-san) what it's like to love someone, often without her realising it. And Mwu in turn heals her heart of the pain of losing the one she loved. It happens twice, so I wanted to write about it. :shrugs: It may not make much sense, but..meh )

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Brushing back damp hair, the woman sat at the tiny desk, the papers she worked on lit only by a small reading lamp. She could hear faint whistling from the bathroom, and smiled to herself as she worked.

_He's always here...well, almost always. Sometimes it feels as though he spends more time here than he does in his own room..._

But thw two of them were so busy now..with the upcoming battles. Almost all her time was taken up with shipboard duties, and his with the Strike. Times like this, when they could be together, were becoming increasingly rare. So she really couldn't complain. Besides, it made them both happy, didn't it? And happiness, like free time, was also rare in war..

_And so is love.._

She remembered his reaction the first time she had told him. She'd whispered the words at first, shyness choking her voice. He hadn't heard her at first, and had leaned down to look more closely at her, confused as to why she was blushing so much.

_"What is it?"_ he'd asked, gentle smile on his face. She'd looked up at him, cheeks flushed red, and stood on her tiptoes to whisper the words in his ear, mind fuzzy as to why she was so embarrassed. Mwu had looked at her in surprise for a few moments, face blank. Then his handsome face had lit up in a huge smile. _"Really?" _he'd asked, and she'd nodded imperceptibly, not able to meet his gaze, but her heart had been racing. She did, didn't she? That was how she felt, wasn't it? She'd known for a while, but hadn't quite been able to accept it, after all, it had only been a year since _he_ had...left her.

Mwu had reached out to run a finger down her pinked cheeks, then pulled her close to him in an enveloping bear hug, the embrace so tight she'd hardly been able to breathe..all that had come out had been a muffled squeak. "I love you too.." he'd told her, pressing a light kiss to the top of her head.

His reaction..it hadn't been what she'd expected. She'd hoped he would be happy, of course, but the strength of his reaction had surprised her. It had been like..no-one had ever told him that before - that they loved him. But surely that couldn't be right?

Murrue set down her pen, and brushed her hands through drying wavy hair. _Now I know..that it was right..._

She'd learned, sitting by his beside in sickbay, of his unhappy childhood, how he'd been brushed aside and ignored by his father. Had been treated like he wasn't there. He'd never really known what it was like to love someone..._really_ love someone. Had she..been the one to teach him? To show him what it felt like?

"You're dreaming again?"

Murrue turned to see him crouched beside her chair, smiling face inches from her own. Smiling back, she ruffled his blonde curls. "No," she told him, letting him help her from the chair. "I was just thinking.." The two of them sat together on her bed, his hand gently stroking her bare arm. She could hear his heart beating strongly, and it made her smile again, her eyes closing.

_You gave your whole heart to me, didn't you? You'd never known how to before. At first, I wasn't able to repay that...not completely, because part of my heart - part of myself - still belonged to **him**. I can't let go of him, I'm not sure if I ever will be able to..but everything else - the rest of my heart - is yours now..._

"Love you.." she murmured, her smile growing as he hugged her. "Love you too.." he replied, just like he always did.

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She took a sip from her mug, idly watching the steam swirl from the smooth surface of the hot chocolate. The night breeze was cool, and she pulled the robe she wore tighter around herself. The stars hung there in the sky, twinkling softly, and Murrue smiled, feeling a little jealous at their apparent eternity.

"Do you think he's watching us?"

She didn't turn around at the voice, simply continued to gaze at the darkened sky. "I don't know. But it would be nice to believe..."

Kira made a little 'heh' noise, and sat down on the bench beside her, his eyes too trained on the stars.

"You really loved him, didn't you?" he asked after a while, not looking at her. Murrue smiled again, ruefully this time, and took another sip of her drink. "Did everyone know?" she asked, glancing across at the boy.

"Most of the crew did, I think, even if they only heard rumours." he replied with a grin. Then his expression grew sombre again. "Aren't you mad at him? For leaving you like that?"

Murrue shook her head, amber eyes soft with a mixture of sadness and remembered affection. "No.." she said quietly. "I tried to be, at first, but I couldn't. Besides, I was happy to have met him, and to have been together with him, even if it was only for a short time. It does hurt, but I wouldn't have swapped my time with him for the world.."

Kira smiled, and looked up to the sky again. "So, what will you do now, Murrue-san?"

"I'll stay here," she answered. "Enjoy the peace we fought for - that he gave his life for. And maybe..one day I'll be able to see him again..."

_Because my heart still belongs to you. Everything I gave to you..is still yours, and it always will be..._

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She was talking, but he really wasn't listening. He knew that he should be, after all, this was important. They were in her office, he perched on the edge of the small overstuffed sofa, mug of forgotten coffee in his hands. They were discussing the upcoming mission..the big one, the battle against ZAFT and Messiah, but he wasn't paying attention. Instead, he was watching _her_. The Captain was focused on the laptop on her desk, face a study in concentration. And since she wasn't looking at him, he could look at her all he wanted.

It was stupid, he knew. To be feeling and acting this way when there was so much at stake. But he couldn't help himself. Duty was important, sure. But this..this seemed more so, the way he felt right now.

She was looking at the screen of her laptop, pale face illuminated by it's glow. He felt warm, comforted, in her presence, as though it were where he belonged. He smiled as she brushed aside a lock of her hair, tucking it absently behind her ear. Her hair was the colour of burnt toffee, thick and shiny. It suited her, framing her pretty face.

He continued to gaze at her, coffee cooling unnoticed. He was so lost in thought, that he never noticed her look up and catch him staring.

"-nel? Colonel?"

Blinking rapidly, he snapped out of his daydreams to see her looking curiously at him. "Uh..sorry.." he mumbled, slightly embarrassed. The Captain smiled, amber eyes twinkling with amusement. "Pay attention.." she scolded gently, cheeks tinged a soft rose, as though she'd guessed what he was thinking about.

_I shouldn't be feeling like this, should I? I shouldn't even know what this feeling is. But it's familiar, much more so than it really should be. And I know..that it's called love..._

His hair was shorter, the mask discarded, even the harsh black uniform set aside for a brighter one. He felt much lighter now, and around her, his heart also felt lighter. As though just by her presence, he was absolved of all the dark feelings and the guilt that haunted him. He smiled. It was a strange feeling, but one he could certainly live with.

Later that evening, before retiring to his room for the night, on an impulse, he knocked on her door. She answered, looking sleepy, clad in nightdress and robe. Seeing him standing there, she stared blankly for a moment, then, flushing red, she stepped aside to hide around the doorframe, clearly embarrassed that he'd seen her like this.

"W-what is it, Colonel?" she asked, voice barely audible.

"Sorry.." he apologised, eyes fixed on the ground to spare her any more blushes. "I just wanted to say goodnight, that's all..."

The Captain peeked around the doorframe, still blushing, although now she seemed more shy than embarrassed. "Goodnight.." she murmured, smiling a little.

Not wanting to leave it like this, he leaned forward to kiss her on the cheek. He didn't know why he did it, other than the pathetic excuse that it felt..natural. The Captain blinked in shock, brown eyes wide, and tried to turn away at the last minute...but instead, she turned towards him, and the innocent kiss on the cheek became a kiss on the lips.

She made a sound of muffled surprise, and pulled away, face flaming red. "H-how.." she stuttered, and ducked around the doorframe again. Not knowing whether she was upset or just angry, he turned away to face the empty corridor.

"I'm sorry, " he said again, rubbing a hand across scarred face. "It was an accident..are you okay?"

She didn't reply straight away, breathing sounding a little shaky. Then she sighed. "Yes. It was partly..my own fault too. It's all right."

"Sorry.." he repeated. "Goodnight." She replied in kind, then her door closed, leaving him alone.

_You idiot! Why did you do something like that?_

He _had_ only meant to kiss her cheek though...the rest really had been an accident. But her lips had tasted just as sweet as he'd imagined, even if he had only tasted them for a split second. His heart was still racing, and he smiled, crossing the hallway to his own room.

_Yeah, it's love all right..._

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He looked down to where she lay beside him, snuggled up close, one thin hand curled around his T-shirt..as though she never wanted to let him go again. Mwu smiled, leaning down to kiss her gently. He knew how she felt. At the touch of his lips, Murrue smiled back in her sleep, nuzzling closer to him. He wondered just why it was that she still loved him, but he was grateful that she did.

_This is the second time you've done this for me, isn't it? The second time you've taught me what it's like to love someone, and be loved back. How can I ever repay you?_

But even as he thought, he knew that the answer was clear. She didn't want to be repaid. Not by conventional means, anyway. Mwu knew that all he needed to do to make her happy was to stay right here, by her side.

After all, hadn't that been what they'd both wanted in the first place?

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( This does ramble a bit, I know. But it was a lot of fun to write. And I'm sorry for the clearly OOC 'goodnight kiss' moment. It was just such a _cute_ idea!

Please read and review! )


	145. Normality

It was her first day back at work.

Even though they'd been back in Orb for a couple of months now, she'd spent all that time living at the small house on the beach. They had stayed there for several reasons, not least to help rebuild the little house after the tsunami caused by Junius Seven's drop. But most of all, it had been to get used to living in peace again. Not for her, but for _him_. And, slowly but surely, it had worked. She'd taught him what it felt like to live somewhere peaceful, to live a normal life now there was no war. And he in turn had taught her how it felt to truly share her life with someone. And one week ago had come the true test - they'd moved in together. Into their own house. And now...it was time to go back to work. Back to her normal life.

It was early still, the morning sunlight streaming in through the thin gauzy curtains of the bedroom. Murrue tiptoed across the thick blue carpet, rubbing dark hair with a towel to dry it after her shower. Glancing up at the loft where the bed stood, she smiled softly at the sight of a pair of bright blue eyes peeking back at her from under the soft comforter.

"Now what are you doing awake?" she scolded, hands on hips, but lips twitching with a smile. The owner of the eyes smiled back, pushing the covers aside and hopping down the wooden steps of the loft to where she stood. "Good morning.." Murrue told him, brushing aside the golden hair from his still-sleepy face. "But it's pretty early still, you know?" Mwu simply shrugged, and pulled her close for a hug, nuzzling his face into the fluffy white robe she wore.

"Now come on.." she said, laughing as she tried to wriggle free of his embrace. "I have to get ready for work.."

His broad shoulders slumped, and he looked up at her, pouting slightly. "Do you really have to?" he asked, a whine in his voice. She sighed. "Yes, I really have to. I stayed off as long as I could, but I can't anymore..."

"But I'll be lonely.." he grumbled, hugging her tighter. Murrue sighed. "Why should you have to be? Why don't you go out into the city for the day? Do some exploring?" Mwu looked surprised for a moment, as though that hadn't occured to him, then grinned. "Okay, I will.." Leaning down, he kissed her gently, and she smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck and bringing him closer.

"So how are you getting to work?"

Murrue didn't answer, muffled by the spoonful of cereal in her mouth, but waved a hand in the general direction of the driveway, where their little red car stood waiting. Mwu grinned. "Tell you what. How about _I _drive, and then I can go into the city after I drop you off at work?"

Managing to swallow her breakfast, she nodded, taking a sip of her coffee. "Okay. But you'll have to get dressed first," she pointed out, gesturing to the shorts and T-shirt he still wore.

So, after slipping on a loose shirt and a pair of jeans, he drove her to work, following her directions to cross over from the mainland of Orb to Onogoro Island. The rebuilt Morgenroete dominated the landscape of the small island, and Mwu pulled the red car up outside the entrance, turning to smile at his passenger. "So, what time do you finish work?"

"Pretty late," she warned him, reaching down for her bag. "Around six.." Mwu nodded. "Okay. I'll be here waiting."

Murrue blushed, not knowing exactly why. He chuckled, leaning across to kiss her lightly. "Have a good day. And be careful. 'Love you..."

Getting out of the car, she stood there and blew him a kiss, waving as he drove away.

"So, was that him?"

Murrue turned in surprise at the voice from behind her. Seeing who it was, she simply smiled, shutting her locker. "Was that who?" she asked innocently. Erica huffed. "Don't play games, Murrue. That was Fllaga-san, wasn't it? I'd heard from some of the others that he was back, that he'd survived. And that _you_," she continued, poking her younger friend's shoulder, "were living with him now.."

The dark-haired woman just smiled again, starting to walk down the corridors to her office. Erica followed behind. "Murrue!"

Murrue laughed, spinning around to face her friend. "Yes, that was him, and yes, I am living with him. Any other questions?"

"Are you finally happy now?"

She blinked at the sudden seriousness of the query, then smiled softly. "Yes. Very happy. It's going to take time, I think, to get used to him being around again, to get used to sharing my life completely with him. But I'm looking forward to it. And..and I know that if I ever have a bad day, or I'm sad, he'll be there for me.."

Erica nodded, placing a hand on Murrue's shoulder. "That's the best part of sharing your life with someone. The sharing. So," she said, wicked grin on her face, "when will you two be getting married?"

The younger woman's sudden vivid crimson flush caused Erica to burst out laughing, and the two women carried on down the corridor, chatting happily.

The city was busy, people everywhere to be seen. The crowds had been a little disconcerting at first, as had the setting. After all, it had been so long since he'd been in a situation like this. But gradually, as time passed, he became more comfortable. Sitting down on a bench, he smiled as the sea breeze washed over him, looking up at a sea bird wheeling overhead. It was nice here. Peaceful, just as it had been the first time he'd ever visited. Couples shared the promenade, pointing out various sights to each other, eating ice cream, or simply just walking together.

Getting to his feet again, Mwu continued his walk, resolving to come here again at the weekend..and bring Murrue with him. They could walk together like all the others, buy ice cream and enjoy themselves..just like an ordinary couple.

The middle of the city was hot and bustling, people everywhere. He walked through the crowd of humanity, this time, the mass comforting rather than worrying. After all...this was _home_ now. For the first time in his life, Mwu had a real home, a place to come back to, and someone waiting for him when he did. The feeling of peace and security was overwhelming, and he smiled again. Looking at his watch, he noticed that Murrue finished work in an hour. Had it really been all that time?

Heading back to where he'd parked the car that morning, he grinned as he saw a small shop with an ornate sign, window display piled high with sticky treats. A cake shop. _Perfect._

Picking out a small chocolate cake for himself, he browsed the selection behind the glass counter, wondering which of the cakes Murrue would like best. Then he saw it. A strawberry shortcake, the red fruit piled high on the smooth yellow biscuit.

_That one._

The sky was deep grey, the rain pouring down in sheets. Murrue screwed up her nose, peering up into the heavens. _Terrific. And I didn't bring my umbrella..._

Shading her eyes, she looked around for the red car, sighing when she saw no sign of it. Had he forgotten? Then..she saw him. He was standing there a little way off, clad in nothing but the shirt and jeans he had been wearing that morning. His scarred face was turned upwards towards the sky, eyes closed against the torrential rain that was soaking him through.

"Mwu?" she called, running across the concrete to where he stood, and taking his arm. "What are you doing? You're going to catch cold!"

He opened his eyes to look at her, and smiled, golden hair plastered to his scalp. "It's all right. It's just that..I can't remember the last time I felt rain on my face, that's all.." Murrue sighed, shaking her head with a smile of her own, and stood on her tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek. "Come on," she said softly, "let's go home..."

As he dried his hair and changed into dry clothes, she prepared dinner. "So, did you enjoy yourself?" she asked as he came downstairs, still rubbing his hair dry with a towel. "Sure did," he replied with a grin, placing the damp towel in the washing machine. "I saw all kinds of stuff, and all kinds of people. I think I'm really going to like calling this place home.." Murrue smiled, delighted. "That's good to hear. I'm glad you're getting used to things now.." She passed him a plate, and a knife and fork. "Dinner's ready now, so help yourself.."

After the dishes and plates had been washed and cleared away, the couple sat together on the large sofa in their room, cuddling up together to watch TV. The rain still poured outside, but it just made the effect more cosy. Murrue smiled happily as she rested her head on Mwu's shoulder, and giggled when he produced the two cakes he had bought that afternoon.

"You bought cake?"

He nodded. "I wasn't sure what kind to get you, so I guessed." He opened the box and brought out the strawberry shortcake he had picked out for her. The young woman beamed, and kissed him gently. "Thank you..."

Mwu grinned, taking a large bite of his own cake. "At the weekend, how about we go for a walk in the city together? Like all the other couples?"

She blushed, and nodded. "That sounds like fun.."

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( My favourite kind of story, an 'ordinary day' kind of story. Just random fluff. I hope you all like it!

Please read and review! )


	146. Imagination

She could hear soft, even breathing from the room. Setting down her hairbrush, she peeked out of the tiny bathroom to see him stretched out on the bed, seemingly fast asleep. She watched him with a faint smile, hands on hips. _He can sleep anywhere..._

Smile brightening as a sudden idea occured to her, Murrue picked up her hairbrush, and tiptoed across to where he lay. Carefully, she tickled his bare feet with the bristles of the brush, trying to stifle her giggles.

As he felt the rough bristles across his feet, Mwu's face twitched in his sleep, until finally he jerked awake, staring up at her with confused blue eyes. "Wha-" he managed, rubbing his face sleepily. And she laughed. She couldn't help it. Mwu scowled, and leapt off the bed. "Funny, was it?" he asked, taking a step towards her. Still laughing, Murrue backed away, dropping the hairbrush and running when he lunged at her.

But of course, he soon caught up to her, scooping her easily into his arms. She laughed, trying to escape, but he held her tightly, sitting down on the bed. "So, it's funny to tickle someone?" he asked mildly. "Let's see how _you_ like it!"

With that, he began to tickle her sides, grinning widely at her breathless squeals of laughter, and her squirming to try and escape his grasp. "Stop it!" she gasped, trying to swat his hands away. Mwu laughed, and did as she asked, giving her an affectionate kiss. "You started it.." he pointed out, settling back on the bed with her still held in his arms.

Murrue smiled a little, then sighed, leaning back in his embrace and focusing her attention on the ceiling. Mwu looked at her, surprised. "What's wrong?" he asked, fingers playing with her dark hair. She shook her head. "It's nothing. I was just thinking..how nice it feels to be like this. As though there was nothing to worry about. But..." She sighed again, closing her eyes, "I can never completely forget about the war. That I'm a soldier..."

He chuckled slightly, leaning down to place a gentle finger on her lips. "Because you don't _let_ yourself forget, that's the problem.."

She laughed herself at that. "You're right, I don't. It's hard to, sometimes. I wish it was all over..."

"That's one wish we _all_ have," he told her, pulling her closer. "That this would all be over, and we could live in peace. Then you and I could know for sure that we could always be together..."

Flushing slightly, Murrue nodded, leaning her head against his shoulder. "But you know.." Mwu continued, causing her amber gaze to focus on him again, "this isn't so bad, being here like this.."

At her surprised expression, he grinned, and kissed the top of her head. "No, really. Think about it. We're here together, we're happy, and at the moment, we're safe. In the grand scheme of things, what else do we really need?"

"That's a very simple way of looking at things.." she observed, a small smile playing on her lips.

"Perhaps it is," he replied, "but it makes sense all the same.."

"Yeah.." she mumbled, laying back down under the thin sheets. "But it is hard to forget all of it. Everywhere I look, even in here, I always get reminded of where and what I am.." Mwu shrugged. "Then just close your eyes. Imagine that you're somewhere else."

"The future?" she asked, nose wrinkling at that idea. He smiled. "Not if you don't want to. Just imagine somewhere peaceful. Anywhere that you'd like to be.."

Murrue nodded, closing her eyes again. But after a few moments, she peeked up at him again. "This is hard.." she murmured, wry smile on her face. Mwu sighed in fond exasperation. "Because you're concentrating too much. Here, let me try.."

She sighed happily as he began to gently stroke her back, his voice low and soothing.

"How about the sea?" he asked. "Imagine we're by the sea.."

"What's this 'we'?" she asked, laughter in her voice. Mwu laughed. "What, you'd rather be alone?"

At her giggle, he wrapped his arms around her. "The sea. It's peaceful, and quiet. The sun is warm, and we're both there together.." Murrue closed her eyes as she listened to his words. She could see the images in her mind as he spoke, almost feel the warm sand on her feet, the coolness of the sea breeze. And she could see him there beside her, smiling. And she smiled back. His hands were still caressing her soft skin, that and the gentle sound of his voice lulling her to sleep.

She didn't know whether what she was seeing was her imagination or the beginning of a wonderful dream, but she was happy nonetheless...

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( Random waffle again. I hope you like it!

Please read and review! )


	147. Words

They were just words.

Nothing special. Just three words..as simple as that.

But those three words could turn someone's life upside down. It made him smile when he thought about it...about when she had told him. It had been late at night, the two of them together in her room. She'd been so shy, her voice had barely been above a whisper. She'd stood on the tips of her toes and murmured the words in his ear, as though they were a secret. And he hadn't been able to answer for a moment, stunned into silence by her confession. He knew how _he_ felt, but the real problem had been getting the words out. He'd tried several times...to tell her, when they were alone in her office, or off duty...but every time he had tried, his mouth had gone dry and the words wouldn't come out. That made his smile grow..the thought that she had more courage than him, a so-called hero.

But when she had told him, his heart had begun to race, and all he'd been able to do was hug her tightly. With her confession, he had finally been able to confess himself.

After that, had things been the same? It felt like something had changed, but he couldn't quite put his finger on _what_. He had heard somewhere that people changed once they..began to feel that way about someone. He couldn't remember where he had heard it, or even if he _had_ heard it. Some dim recollection of an old platitude, perhaps?

He knew that he was happier now..so perhaps it had changed him. He was happy simply because she had accepted him completely, for everything he was. And that acceptance, the knowledge that there was one person in the world who he could be himself with, and not have to act a certain way around, or prove himself to...it was wonderful.

And as he rounded a corner and turned into the mess hall..there she was.

Mwu smiled happily as he saw her. She was the only one there, and as he approached her, she smiled back, the expression lighting up her beautiful face. "You're late." she told him, her tone gently scolding. But her warm smile let him know that she wasn't really mad at him.

"Sorry.." he breezed, grabbing a tray from the counter and sitting down beside her. This was all they could do during duty hours..just spend a few snatched moments together with no-one watching. He knew that she recieved solace from his presence, although he made a point of not showing too much affection in public, in respect to her.

"So, how has your day been?" he asked softly, attention focused on her as she ate slowly. Murrue shrugged, scraping up a forkful of food. "Not that bad. It's passed, I guess.."

He chuckled at that, then leaned back in his chair with a sigh. Murrue frowned, turning to him. "Something wrong?"

"Nah," Mwu replied, blue gaze on the grey ceiling. "I was just wondering, that's all. Have I changed?"

"Changed?" Murrue looked confused. "In what way?"

"Well..I just wanted to know if I was different now. Do you think I am?"

She blinked at the sudden strange question, amber eyes narrowing as she thought. "Perhaps." she said finally, a small smile creeping onto her lips. "Just a little bit. You're quieter, I think, and maybe more serious. But that's all. You're still the same person. Why do you ask?"

"No real reason," he replied with a smile of his own. "I just wanted to know.."

To him, she was the same as she'd been the day he met her..the same kindness and silent strength he'd always admired about her radiating from her. It was the reason he'd come to feel the way he did about her. "You're the same.." he told her. "Just the same.." He grinned, moving closer to where she sat, and slipping an arm around her slender shoulders. "Never change, okay?"

"Why not?" she asked, face flushed a pale pink from his attention.

"Because," he said quietly, lips brushing her dark hair, "you're perfect the way you are.."

Murrue didn't seem too impressed with his flattery. "Whatever you say.." she replied, rolling her eyes. Mwu laughed, planting an affectionate kiss on her cheek. "But it's true!"

Her recurring blush made him laugh harder, and he hugged her tightly.

No, his life really wasn't the same now. With those words, everything had changed. The way the words sounded..when he hadn't been expecting them...he hadn't been able to put what he was feeling into rational thoughts, or words of his own. He'd only been able to repeat them back to her.

He leaned in close and whispered the words in her ear, the feeling washing over him again when her pale face flamed scarlet.

_I wonder..just how different everything will be now. I wonder if I'll always feel this way about her. I'm still not used to it yet..having such strong feelings for another. But I hope with all my heart that this will never change. That those words will always make me feel this way..._

Just three words.

**I love you...**

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( Ah. I'm glad to see that the power of 'waffle' has not deserted me. Lol.

Please read and review! )


	148. The Night Sky

The moonlight shone through the open curtains, the light breeze rustling back the gauzy material. The warm night air carried the scent of flowers to the couple lying in the large bed beyond the window. The man smiled, stretching out his broad body underneath the fluffy white comforter that covered himself and his companion. Looking across at the one beside him, he reached out, fingertips brushing against her soft skin. "Are you tired?" he asked, his voice a contented murmur. His companion shook her head, dark eyes trained on the starry night sky visible through the open windows. "No, not yet.." she replied. "Why, are you?"

"Nah." was the answer. He sighed, focusing his gaze on the white-painted ceiling. "I was just thinking...that I'd always dreamed of something like this. That it might be like this. It wasn't something I let myself do very often, but just in odd moments, I'd try to imagine life with you...after the war was over. And it was...well, kinda like this."

Murrue smiled, turning over in the bed to face him. Resting her chin on his bare chest, she looked up at him, her long hair tickling him. "Well..I used to dream too. Only a little...in the time when I was alone. I didn't like to do it..it just made it hurt more. But I couldn't really help it. And for the time the dream lasted..I was happy."

Mwu frowned slightly, but didn't say anything more. Noticing his discomfort, Murrue shook her head, amber eyes softening. "It's all right. You don't have to worry about it." Moving closer, she kissed him lightly, her lips tasting sweet against his own. "Because this is better than a dream..."

Slipping out of the bed, she walked down the small wooden steps to the open french windows, her long silky nightdress blowing against her legs in the breeze. Following her, Mwu peered over her shoulder at the quiet garden.

"I'm not sure that any apology would be enough. I still don't know how to make it all up to you.." he said quietly, his tone sombre. He wrapped his arms around her slender shoulders, as if seeking solace from her warmth and scent. She laughed a little, turning around in his embrace to place a finger on his lips. "You already have.." she reminded him, holding up her left hand. The golden engagement ring that he'd given her a few weeks ago glinted in the soft moonlight. "This is all I need. A promise, right? That you and I can always be together?"

Mwu nodded, leaning down to nuzzle her neck. "Yeah, you're right.."

They stayed there like that for several minutes, eyes closed, just enjoying the feel of the warm air, and the presence of each other. Finally, he spoke up, voice muffled by her hair. "So..in those dreams you had...what were we doing?"

She looked up at the night sky, resting her head against his shoulder. "Nothing..." she said after a while.

"Nothing?"

"Nothing." she repeated. "We were just there - living our lives together in peace. That's all I ever wanted..."

"I see.." he said softly. "Were we happy?"

"Yes.." she whispered. He hugged her tightly. "Just like we are now." he pointed out. "So your dream came true."

"I guess.." she said slowly. Her gaze was trained on the stone floor of the balcony. "But what if war comes again? What if we have to go fight? That's why I didn't let myself dream..even after the war was over."

"We do what we have to do. You know that." he reminded her gently. She turned to him, eyes wide and worried. "But what if it does, and something happened? What if I lost you again?"

"And what good would that do? 'What if'? Thinking like that doesn't do any good..only makes you more worried. If war does come again, then we'll help end it again. And I'll fight to keep you safe, just like I always have."

His words cheered Murrue slightly, but her smile was fleeting. "If it does happen...then you have to come back to me. You have to promise, okay?" she asked, reaching up to wind her arms around his neck, fingers entwining in his long blonde locks. "Because I don't want to be alone anymore."

Mwu grinned, the expression familiar and cocky. "It'll be okay. I've always come back before, haven't I? But I promise. I'll do my best to stay safe. I have too much here to risk losing. But you have to promise _me_ something. That if anything happens, _you'll_ stay safe too. Okay?" He leaned down to kiss her, his embrace warm and loving.

She shook her head, her smile finally a true one. "That sounds fair. Okay then, it's a promise."

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( This was inspired by the conversations big sis and I have had on the forums. About this semi-mythical movie that may or may not take place after the Destiny special editions..and what kind of life Mwu and Murrue-san could have after the war was over. Wouldn't she be worried sick if Mwu had to go and fight again..when she thought that it was all over?

Please read and review, okay? )


	149. Temptation

( Beware of teh OOCness XD )

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She didn't know why he was there. He sat in the corner of her office, perched on the edge of the sofa, familiar-but-not-familiar blue eyes watching her every move. He didn't smile, didn't move, didn't speak...he just watched her, his intense gaze making her feel uncomfortable. She wanted to ask why he was there, but the words wouldn't come out. Finally, she got up to leave, saving her work and closing the laptop. He never said anything, just stayed watching her. As she moved to leave the room, however, he reached out and caught her wrist, his grip firm but gentle. "Please..don't leave just yet.." he muttered in a low voice.

Murrue met his gaze with her own, trying to free herself from his grasp. "Why not?" she asked, her own voice faint, although she didn't know why.

"'Cause I want to stay here with you a while.." he replied, pulling her down so she was sitting on the sofa beside him. She smiled a little. "But you're almost always with me, aren't you?"

He looked puzzled at that, and a little concerned. "You don't mind that, do you?" he asked, sounding almost nervous. Murrue shook her head. "No. If it helps make you feel better, or more comfortable on this ship, then I don't mind at all."

He laughed at that, the sound dry. "But what if there's another reason I want to be close to you?" he asked, looking to her again. he wasn't sure what he meant by that, and by the earnest tone in his voice, she wasn't sure she even wanted to. Instead, she shrugged. "Whatever it might be, I don't mind you staying in here."

"Would you like to know what my reason is?" he asked softly, his hand reaching out to trail fingertips across her cheek. Murrue looked away, pinking, annoyed with herself at the way her heartbeat had picked up at his touch. "I-I think that you should keep it to yourself.." she stuttered, not able to look at him. He just smiled, leaning in close to her. "Maybe I should..but I think you can guess what it is.." he murmured, lips inches from her hair.

In spite of herself, Murrue found herself looking up at him, into those intense blue eyes. Taking a deep breath, she tried to pull away. "Please.." she whispered. "Don't do this..."

To her surprise, he let her go. His expression was no less gentle and loving, but there was a hint of apology there now. "I'm sorry.." he said quietly. "I had no right to say those things.." Taken aback by this, she shook her head. "N-no..I..." she looked away again. She didn't know what to say to him. She had been able to tell, of course, that his interest in her extended beyond friendship..but she didn't want to think about it. It was a little too close to home for her. So she had ignored the way her heart began to race when he smiled at her, ignored the small smile that sometimes came to her lips when she thought of him. Because it was exactly the same as it had been when she had fallen in love with Mwu.

And she couldn't let herself fall in love again. She'd made her mind up about that. Her heart belonged to Mwu, and it always would. Even if this man was almost his double in every way...she wouldn't let it happen.

"I can't help it though.." he said softly. "The way I feel, I mean." Murrue turned to him again, trying to get the words out. That this couldn't happen...that she couldn't return his feelings. But as she met his gaze, her heart skipped at the emotion in his eyes, and she blushed again.

"I..I love you, okay?" he said, tone helpless. "I know that you don't love me...that you can't. But like I said, I can't help the way I feel." His fingers brushed her cheek again. "And you're lonely, aren't you? I can tell..."

"E-even if I was..I..." she managed to say, offhandly wondering why there were tears in her eyes. Shaking her head, she looked away again, scrubbing at her face. "I'm sorry..." she whispered. He nodded, but instead of letting her go, he pulled her closer, wrapping her tightly in his arms. "W-what are you.." she asked, her heart pounding. She could feel his breath on her face, feel his lips placing gentle kisses on her neck. "Stop..."

"I will.." he replied gently. "If that's really what you want.." He pulled away slightly. "If you really want me to stop this, then tell me. It's your decision. I promise I won't do anything you don't want me to, okay?"

That made her hesitate. Did she want him to stop? Deep down...no. But was it fair to him? Even if this happened..it wouldn't be what he really wanted. She couldn't love him the way he loved her. As if reading her mind, he smiled. "That doesn't matter." he told her. "That you don't love me..I can live with that. But if I can make you feel less lonely..that'll be worth everything to me."

"Why are you so kind?" Murrue asked faintly. He laughed at that, the sound soft, playful. "Because I met you.." he replied. Blushing fiercely, she shook her head. "That's not a reason.."

Leaning down, he reached out to gently grasp her chin in his hand. "It'll do.." were his words before pressing his lips to hers. She tried to struggle, but instead found herself being drawn deeper into his kiss. Without conscious thought, her arms reached up to wind around his neck, his long hair tickling her skin.

After that, she didn't remember much. Warmth, the feel of his kisses. Inevitability, she supposed. Had this been waiting to happen? She didn't know. It felt right..it felt wonderful. She couldn't deny that. But it also felt...wrong, at the same time. What would Mwu think? To see her like this? After everything the two of them had been through? And even if, by a miracle, this man _did_ turn out to be her beloved, somehow survived - what would he say if he ever recovered his memories? Would he be angry?

It hurt. Mixed with the pleasure..was pain. Giving into temptation..was a betrayal. She didn't love him, yet she had let herself do this...be with him. Was she really so shallow? So lonely?

But looking up at him, seeing his happiness, his own pleasure..she wasn't sure anymore. All she could do was hold onto him, her hands curling tightly around the fabric of his jacket. She closed her eyes as the final wave washed over her, tears spilling from behind the lids and streaming down her cheeks. She was happy...but at the same time, incredibly sad. She did care for him..she wouldn't have let this happen if she didn't. But it wasn't love. It was just her own selfishness, her own desire to be cared for by someone. What was right? Would Mwu ever forgive her? Would she ever forgive herself?

She didn't know the answers...she could only cry.

Concerned, he pulled her up into his arms, letting her cry on his shoulder. He didn't ask what was wrong...perhaps he was able to guess. All he did was hold her, rocking her back and forth, murmuring quiet words of comfort, while she sobbed out her guilt and sadness...mixed with happiness.

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( That was weirder than I intended it to be. And very OOC, especially for Murrue-san. But...lol.

Please read and review! )


	150. Generations

The garden was filled with the sounds of summer. Smiling gently at the sound of bees humming around the flowers, a woman walked down the path towards the fish pond in the centre of this garden. The woman was in her mid-sixties, but looked to be much younger than that, the warm smile lighting up her faintly lined face. Her expression spoke of someone who had lived a full and happy life, the gentle smile growing mischievous as she quietly crept up on the one snoozing on the sunlounger by the pond.

"Guess who?" she whispered, covering the sleeper's eyes with her hands. The man never moved, but he did smile. "No idea. But I bet you're beautiful..."

"And you always say that.." she pointed out. Removing her hands, she poked her lazy husband lightly on the nose. "You need to get up now, anyway. They'll be here in a little while."

"I know, I know.." he grumbled, getting to his feet and wandering off into the house. Murrue smiled again as she watched him go. Almost thirty-five years married..and he still acted like a child.

The bang of a car door alerted her attention, as did the sound of the garden gate opening. Turning, the woman's face lit up as a tiny figure darted across the lawn towards her. "Grandma!" yelled the figure, and Murrue knelt down to welcome the little girl into her arms. "Hello, Maddie darling. Are you having a nice birthday?"

Her granddaughter nuzzled into her arms, giggling as she was lifted up. "Yep. Lookie, Grandma..I got a dolly!" She held out the object she clutched in her hands. Murrue smiled. "She's beautiful. What did Haruma get?"

"He got a car.." replied the five-year-old. "He's over there with Mommy and Daddy!" She pointed towards the gate, where Lily was just walking in, followed by Siegel and Haruma. "Hi, Mom!" called her youngest daughter. "Sorry we're late!"

"It's all right!" called back Murrue. "The cake's not quite ready yet.." Madelaine looked up at her, brown eyes wide. "Did you bake us a _cake_, Grandma?"

"Sure I did. I think Grandpa's looking after it for you.." Lily laughed at that. "You mean, Dad's eaten it all?"

"No.." laughed the older woman. "But he did sulk when I wouldn't let him scrape out the bowl of frosting.."

"Who are we talking about again?" Mwu's loud voice rang through the garden, causing both Madelaine and Haruma to wiggle out og the grasps of those who held them, and rush over to where he was standing. "Grandpa!"

Wide smile on his face, Mwu scooped up the two tiny children and swung them around. "Hey there! Happy birthday!". The twins squealed and giggled as they were swooped around in the air, and Lily grinned, turning to her mother. "So, who else is coming?"

"Almost everyone.." said Murrue. "Stellar, Alex, Kira-kun, Lacus-san, Athrun-kun, Meyrin-chan.."

Lily smiled, the expression wry. "Alex is coming? This wouldn't be because a certain young lady is, would it?" Murrue smiled back, the smile impish. "You mean Mayu-chan? Possibly. I think he's bringing her as his date..."

Their youngest child, their son Alexander, had lately fallen for the young Mayu Asuka, the daughter of Shinn and Lunamaria. It had taken quite a bit of persuasion on Shinn's part to accept 'Neo''s son as his daughter's suitor..but eventually he'd given in.

"And Sis?"

"Stellar's bringing her boyfriend, yes. She sounded quite nervous about asking him, but it seems all right." Lily giggled at that. "Poor Sis..she'll never quite get used to having someone around, will she?"

"Well...she _has_ lived alone since leaving college. It does take some getting used to..having someone in your life after being alone for so long.." replied Murrue, the memories flitting through her mind.

Later that day, the party began. Stellar's boyfriend loved the celebrations, despite his girlfriend's embarrassment, and Kira had joked that she'd managed to find a man just like her father. The day had worn on, the cake had been eaten (a caterpillar cake, with five candles), and a good time had been had by all. Madelaine and Haruma had chased around the garden, following and being followed by the others, including Mwu on several occasions.

Finally, when all the cake had gone, and all the party balloons had either popped or flown away, the party ended. The sleepy birthday boy and girl had been borne away by their parents, leaving the garden in peace once more.

"It feels like history's repeating itself.." mused Mwu softly, as he sat by his wife's side on the moonlit grass.

"It does?" she asked, leaning her head on his shoulder. "Yeah. I mean, think about it.." he said. "It feels like yesterday..when we were the ones with little kids. And everyone was young then. Now..it's the same, only..not."

"Well, it's the next generation, isn't it?" Murrue pointed out, brushing a lock of grey-streaked auburn hair from her face. "Now it's their turn. And in time, they'll probably be thinking the same things that we are now. It all carries on..."

"Did you ever think..those times on the_ Archangel_, when we were first together..that something like this could happen?" he asked, looking up at the moon. "No," she admitted, smiling. "But maybe I wished it. Maybe we both did, and that's why it happened."

Mwu laughed at that, leaning down to kiss her gently. "Wished for it? That makes sense. Since neither of us had a family..we tried to find one in each other?"

"Something like that.." replied Murrue, pulling him down so they both lay on the grass looking up at the stars.

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( And that, ladies and gentlemen, is your lot. I think 200 one-shots altogether is enough for anyone, ne? I haven't stopped writing, or thinking of things to write, so I'll still be around.

Please read and review, and thank you for being a great audience! )


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